Waiting times for local cataract patients set to be significantly reduced
Cornwall patients can have cataract surgery at a state-of-the-art eye hospital in Truro – with the SpaMedica site off Malpas Road now set to welcome its first NHS patients.
SpaMedica – one of the country’s leading providers of NHS eye health services – offers cataract surgery and YAG laser capsulotomy and is helping to cut waiting times for residents across the county who need treatment to improve their vision.
The Truro hospital will offer appointments for procedures within four to eight weeks, compared to a national target of 18 weeks.
Nichol Freestone is SpaMedica Truro’s hospital manager and is based in St Ives. She explains: “Being a new facility, it means we can offer a comfortable, welcoming environment for patients and their families, which is important because, for some, eye surgery is a daunting procedure.
“That’s why we go out of our way to make patients feel at ease. Our team comprises highly experienced consultant surgeons and SpaMedica is proud to have some of the lowest complication rates nationally.
“Cataracts not only rob people of their sight, they can also have a huge impact on someone’s independence and quality of life, so it’s a privilege to support the NHS in reducing surgery waiting times. We can’t wait to welcome NHS patients from across Cornwall through our doors.”
Truro is among 50 SpaMedica sites in the UK; 34 of which have been inspected by industry regulator the Care Quality Commission, with 13 receiving an ‘Outstanding’ rating and 21 achieving a ‘Good’ rating.
A recent inspection at SpaMedica’s Doncaster-based hospital praised how ‘outcomes for patients were significantly better than expected when compared with other similar services nationally’.
NHS patients who have been diagnosed with cataracts or posterior capsule opacification can ask for a referral to SpaMedica Truro through their local optician or GP.
