Apr 28th 2017

More appointments for patients will mean better care

Hospital bosses are to increase the number of urgent care appointments available for patients who turn up to its emergency eye care department to improve care and cut waiting times.
Changes to the way patients are seen at the eye A&E based at Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre (BMEC) will come into effect on Tuesday (May 2).

Patients can still be referred to the hospital by their optician or GP as normal and can still turn up if they feel they need urgent care.
However, those who arrive for emergency treatment will be triaged by a senior nurse who will assess their condition and then either book an appointment for them at the Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) within an appropriate time frame, or send them for immediate consultation in the eye A&E.
As a result, the number of appointment slots have doubled, with the UCC now a seven day service, with appointments being offered on a Sunday.
Bushra Mushtaq, consultant ophthalmologist and director for medical retina services at BMEC which is run by Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are putting this change in place to ensure that patients are seen by the correct professional in the most appropriate environment with the minimum of waiting.
“This is to improve the patient experience and ensure the patients are seen in the right place, first time.
“Patients will still be able to walk in to our eye A&E if they have been told to come here by their optician or if they feel they need immediate care.”