Integrated Ophthalmology

A review on eye health needs has been undertaken by Public Health Suffolk; this review demonstrated that Suffolk has a greater proportion of people with sight loss issues than the average population in England.

To develop a truly integrated and innovative approach to the delivery of eye care services, a Clinical Transformation Group (CTG) was formed. The CTG consisted of consultant ophthalmologists, attending from both of Suffolk’s acute hospitals and current private providers, community based optometrists, chair of the Local Optical Committee, Eye Clinic Liaison Officer, patient representatives, managers from both acute trusts and representatives from 5 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG).

The function of this group was to map current provision and develop a set of issues and improvements which could be translated into a new clinical model, with a series of supporting clinical pathways (where appropriate/needed). This review identified the changes required for delivering eye care across Suffolk along with its CCG neighbours that will allow the provision of both efficient and effective eye care services for the future.

The key objectives identified for this new model are:

•To reduce preventable sight loss in Suffolk

•To provide a single point of access referral route for multidisciplinary ophthalmology referrals

•To create an electronic central care record enabling access to written notes and uploading and viewing results of investigations, including OCT to avoid duplication of diagnostics •To provide an efficient and cost effective multi-disciplinary clinical triage of patients’ referrals via electronic referral management

•To embrace new technologies to prevent sight loss

•Full integration of provider IT systems

•To provide a seamless transfer of referrals to designated care pathways and providers

•Eye Service integration – collaborative working across all eye care providers promoting equality across locations

•Tiered model of services, promoting the right place, right time, right clinician philosophy

•To adopt changes in treatment modality conducive to delivery of care more amenable to community delivery in support of care closer to patients home with services provided in community locations •Increased self-care management

•Reduction in outpatient activity by the use of efficient pathways

•Greater use of skill mix by co-location of Ophthalmologists and Optometrists

•To provide advice/education

•To provide a longer term outcomes based contract (5yrs+)

The CCGs are looking to move to a competitive tender process in the near future with a prime contractor or joint venture model and are therefore holding a provider market day to engage with stakeholders further.

If you would like to attend this event on the 13th October 2015 or would like to receive more information, including a draft specification, please contact Jane Garnett (jane.garnett@suffolk.nhs.uk) to register.