Eye surgery assurances provoked by experience

Nancy Fluit (85), of Wanaka, says access to health services for Central Otago people could be improved. PHOTO: MARJORIE COOK

The new Filleul Surgical Centre opening in Dunedin this month will boost ophthalmology surgery in the wider Otago community, Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand Southern service manager specialist surgery Brad Aitcheson says.

He hoped to provide more information about the new service later this month.

Clinicians have developed the new surgery to increase eye surgery capacity in the private and public sectors.

Mr Aitcheson was answering questions in relation to Wānaka resident Nancy Fluit’s experiences at Dunedin Hospital’s eye department last August.

Mrs Fluit (85) contacted The Wānaka Sun in February to discuss her concerns.

Last year, three weeks after a dissatisfying visit to Dunedin Hospital’s eye department, she received private, sight-saving cataract surgery in Queenstown.

The visit to Dunedin left Mrs Fluit feeling unenlightened as to the cause of and treatment plan for sudden blindness in her left eye.

After being examined by several doctors, she sat in the waiting room for most of the afternoon but was eventually told by staff the doctors had gone for the day.

Mrs Fluit has had several procedures at Dunedin Hospital without complaint, but said her eye appointment, "was a problem".

"I know they were probably under pressure but they had seen me and there was no follow-up and no response," she said.

Mrs Fluit was also concerned about potential cuts to the new Dunedin Hospital budgets.

"If they make the Dunedin Hospital eye department smaller than it already is, I can’t see how it would work," she said.

She had not complained to the department but had tried to contact it without success.

Mr Aitcheson said the eye department was challenged by increasing demand for eye care due to advancements in treatments and technology, an ageing population and an increasing diabetic population.

Staff recruitment was also a challenge for the department, which is supported by a locum.

Some services were being outsourced to meet demand, he said.

"Patients’ care may be managed by the eye service for a lot longer than other health care specialties.

"Previously, people may have been discharged when treatment was exhausted whereas now, eye care continues for a lot longer because of new technology and advancements in care," Mr Aitcheson said.

Staffing numbers were regularly reviewed and more orthoptists were being employed to help assess specialty populations.

Digital and image improvements were under way across the district and Dunedin Hospital patient records were now mostly digital.

"This allows for timely access for treating teams, referrals and external correspondence to GPs," he said.

On the day Mrs Fluit visited the eye department, a whiteboard notice said staff were seeing 162 patients.

Mrs Fluit said she found that helpful but did not appreciate going back to Wānaka without information or not getting any results once home.

Mr Aitcheson said daily patient numbers could be between 100 and 180, depending on the number of clinics each day.

The department acknowledged and appreciated delays could be distressing.

Staff were committed to providing timely and appropriate care to all patients as quickly as possible.

Patients should call the department, GP or eye care specialist if they had questions, he said.

Wait times would be different for each patient. For example, a patient might be waiting to see a doctor but while they waited, they could have imaging done.

A wait might include taking time for eye drops to work.

Acute referrals were seen as quickly as possible, depending on urgency, but there could be a wait due to acute demand, he said.