New eye services welcomed at Nenagh hospital

Local councillor John Carroll has welcomed the inclusion of new ophthalmology services at Nenagh hospital.

In line with the national clinical programme for Ophthalmology Model of Eye Care, the University Limerick Hospital Group (ULHG) is expanding theatre access and establishing stand-alone high-volume consultant-led cataract theatres, with a full complement of support staff, in order to facilitate a timelier response from the surgical centres, thereby keeping waiting times to a minimum. Nationally, ophthalmology and surgery waiting lists stood at 40,000 in February 2018, which was an increase of 21% in one year.

The proposed development was propositioned by ULHG. This will initially see patients taken from ULHG’s existing long waiters. As the ophthalmology service grows and is appropriately supported with necessary resources, it would be proposed that the patient journey from referral through scheduling, pre-operative assessment, surgery and follow up will take place on the Nenagh site as one streamlined efficient service.

As ULHG's waiting lists start to reach their targets, the opportunity will arise to utilise this centre of excellence for ophthalmology for insourcing from other regionally located hospitals. Cataract surgery is planned to move to Nenagh on an incremental basis, commencing one day per week with a view to moving to a five-day service. It is estimated that approximately 10 patients could be treated per list with a potential 50 patients cleared each week.

Cllr Carroll, who was recently elected Vice Chairmain of the HSE West Health Forum in Galway, further stated. “New procedures at Nenagh with the existing procedures at Limerick will help significantly in reducing the lengthy waiting lists throughout the Mid West." He added that this new service will be welcomed by all who are on the waiting lists for cataract procedures for very long periods.