The service had a backlog of more than 1500 patients at the time and some of those people, including Mataura man Koby Brown who lost the sight in one eye because follow-up appointments were delayed, had suffered harm.
The board promised action in response to the report’s recommendations and a year later, following a series of catch-up clinics, reported marked improvements in waiting lists.
However, at a board hospital advisory committee meeting yesterday, SDHB chairman Pete Hodgson said growing waiting lists could once again be a concern for the board.
‘‘I have been watching ophthalmology for a few months now and it is time to ask questions about it,’’ he said.
‘‘It is sometimes a good idea to try and spot what the next big thing is going to be and the ophthalmology statistics haven’t been good.
‘‘There will be a story behind it and I don’t know what it is.’’
Specialist services executive director Patrick Ng said the board’s executive leadership team (ELT) had also noted the pressure on waiting lists.
‘‘We have an ELT action for the general manager and service manager to explain both the FSAs [first specialist appointments] and follow-up wait lists and where those are currently at.’’
In June, the Otago Daily Times began asking questions about waiting times for the ophthalmology service after noting the department accounted for about 10% of breaches of the health board target that patients given a commitment should be treated within four months.
A request for an interview with the service manager was declined, although the ODT was invited to send written questions and offered a tour of the department.
Despite those questions being re-lodged several times since, the ODT has yet to receive a response, although staffing changes and Covid-19 Alert Level changes have been problematic.
A September report to the board said 172 patients had waited longer than four months, and in his report yesterday Mr Ng said there were now 248 patients in breach — 160 in Dunedin and 88 in Southland.
Mr Ng said he would report the service response at either the next SDHB board meeting or its next hospital advisory committee meeting.
Mr Hodgson said he assumed that if the response showed a serious problem, the report should be made to the board.
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Comments
My family and I have had to use the ophthalmology services at Dunedin Hospital on an ongoing basis for several years. We have lived overseas and in our experience the service we have received has been excellent and second to none. We have always been seen on time and appointments have only been delayed by us and not the hospital.
I have attended this eye clinic in the last month and had an operation to correct a bleed. I have another operation scheduled on the 23rd November to correct a hole. and remove a cataract. I have found the staff efficient and professional. The wait times are sometimes lengthy but due to the large number of people in the waiting room this is not surprising.
I can only say that my experience of the department has been outstanding. The staff are professional, friendly and helpful. The care outstanding and at least as good as you will get anywhere. There are a few problems; the facilities are inadequate and they need more staff. Put simply, there are more patients needing ophthalmology services than the government allow the DHB to fund. Don't blame the staff or the DHB the government must carry the can.