Focus on Newcastle Eye Centre

Healthwatch Newcastle worked with Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to gather feedback from people using age-related macular degeneration (AMD) services at Newcastle Eye Centre (Royal Victoria Infirmary) and the Manor Walks clinic in Cramlington. Ninety-seven service users took part in a survey during April 2017.

Overall, service users reported very positive experiences of care at both locations. Staff received particularly high praise for their professionalism, kindness and quality of care. The Manor Walks clinic received especially favourable feedback, with many respondents describing the service as excellent and preferring it to the RVI site.

Most patients were satisfied with their appointment letters, found the clinics easy to access, could locate seating easily, and found it straightforward to navigate around the departments. People also gave positive ratings for signage, directions and any assistance they received when arriving at the clinics. 

The main issue identified was waiting times at Newcastle Eye Centre in the RVI. Patients at the RVI experienced significantly longer waits than those attending Manor Walks, with some waiting more than an hour beyond their appointment time. Many respondents suggested reducing waiting times, particularly before receiving injections, and improving communication about delays through information screens or staff updates.

Feedback about clinical consultations was overwhelmingly positive. Most patients felt they were treated with dignity and respect and that their privacy was maintained. Although feedback remained positive, responses indicated that some patients felt less involved in decisions about their treatment compared with other aspects of their care. 

A significant finding was that most respondents had not been told about support services available in the community to help people manage sight loss and related challenges. Only around a quarter of patients reported receiving this information. 

Additional concerns included queues at reception and difficulties receiving follow-up appointment details before leaving the RVI clinic. At Manor Walks, the main suggestions for improvement were more disabled parking spaces, additional seating in the waiting area and access to refreshments. 

Healthwatch Newcastle made 13 recommendations, including improving information about community support services, reducing waiting times, increasing patient involvement in treatment decisions, improving communication about delays, addressing reception queues, and making practical improvements to facilities. The Trust supported all recommendations and set out actions to address the issues raised, including increasing staffing for injections, introducing waiting-time boards, improving appointment processes, developing better patient information, and strengthening links with support organisations. 

In conclusion, the report found that patients valued the quality of care and staff at both clinics, particularly at Manor Walks, but highlighted waiting times at the RVI and limited awareness of support services as the main areas requiring improvement.