The newly refurbished clinic, delivered by the Diabetic Eye Screening Programme at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH), provides a calm environment where patients can have their eyes assessed, receive advice from specialist nurses and, where needed, be supported with onward referral for further treatment.
The new suite includes a dedicated waiting area, decorated with a welcoming mural and providing plenty of seating, alongside examination rooms equipped for retinal photography, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and slit lamp examinations. The examinations are painless and non-invasive, allowing the team to carry out comprehensive assessments and identify changes associated with diabetic eye disease.
A separate room is also dedicated to grading images, helping the team assess results following examinations. Patients will typically receive their final screening results within two weeks.
Alongside screening, the nurse-led service provides patients with specialist advice and early support around their diabetes and eye health. Where further investigation or treatment is needed, changes can be identified at an earlier stage and the appropriate referral arranged.
The specialist nurses can also take a wider view of a patient’s health, helping people understand how diabetes can affect different parts of the body and providing support to help them manage their condition.
Dr Shivani Dewan, Lead for the Diabetic Eye Screening Programme at DBTH, said: “It’s wonderful to see this new facility now open and welcoming patients. We want people to feel comfortable and supported when they come for their screening, while giving our team the facilities they need to provide a thorough assessment.
“We’re continually looking at how we can make screening easier to access and better suited to the people who use our service. Sometimes that means bringing appointments into the community, and sometimes it means adapting the way we provide care for people with additional needs.”
The opening of the clinic builds on the team’s wider work to make diabetic eye screening more accessible. This has included community screening at Worksop Library, outreach clinics within GP practices in Doncaster and dedicated screening sessions for people with learning disabilities, with the service adapting its approach around individual needs.
Denise Smith, Chief Operating Officer at DBTH, said: “We want to make sure people can access exceptional care in environments that are welcoming, comfortable and suited to their needs. Providing services in more convenient locations can make a real difference to people, particularly for those who may face barriers to accessing hospital care.
“This new clinic reflects our commitment to putting patients first, improving the environments in which care is delivered and continually looking for ways to provide a better experience for our patients, their families and visitors.”
Regular diabetic eye screening is important for anyone living with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy can develop without noticeable symptoms, so screening helps identify changes early and ensures people can receive appropriate monitoring, advice or treatment where needed.
Diabetic eye screening is different from a routine eye test with an optician, so people with diabetes should continue to attend their usual optician appointments as well as their diabetic eye screening when invited.
The Diabetic Eye Screening Service continues to explore new ways to bring appointments closer to where people live and adapt services around their needs, sharing the Trust’s commitment to improving the experience of patients, families and visitors.
