Posts Tagged ‘eye’

Published on Sep 26, 2018

A new service provider has been announced to deliver a Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS) across Scarborough, Ryedale and the Vale of York.

Healthcare Business Solutions UK has been announced as the new provider as a result of a recent formal procurement process.

NHS Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) will be working with the new provider to help mobilise the new service beginning on 1 December 2018.

Both NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG and Vale of York CCG will deliver the MECS from community optician practices in their area meaning many patients will be seen closer to home rather than if they were referred into the hospital eye service.

The service will assess and treat a wide range of conditions, including: ocular pain and irritation, blurred vision, or flashes and floaters.

Scarborough Medical Group GP and NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG Associate Chairman, Dr Peter Billingsley, said: “When suffering from minor eye conditions it is important you are seen by the right healthcare professional depending on your condition, as well as being able to access the service closer to home and at a convenient time.

“The demand on GPs is currently very high and making sure patients are referred to the correct healthcare professional first time is only going to benefit local practices and hospital services.”

Patients will be seen by an optometrist with additional accreditation in minor eye conditions, within 24 or 48 hours depending of the urgency of the symptoms, so that many patients will be seen sooner than if they made an appointment to see their GP or were referred into the hospital eye service.