I attended the RNIB’s (Royal National Institute of Blind People) parliamentary reception to support their call for eye clinics to improve their management of people’s appointments.
Eye clinics that cancel appointments put their patients at risk of irreversible sight loss, because many treatments for sight-threatening conditions require frequent follow-up appointments.
RNIB is campaigning for patients to be seen by eye clinics in the time advised by their consultant, and for patients to keep their appointments.
I will work with RNIB to ensure people in Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park receive their treatment on time.
Sally Harvey, RNIB’s Acting Chief Executive, said: “Patients must be seen by their eye clinic within an appropriate time for their condition. No-one should lose their sight needlessly because their eye clinic was too busy to treat them on time.
“Patients can also help themselves by attending their eye clinic appointment and not miss or cancel them. Doing so puts their sight at risk, prevents other patients being given timely appointments, and costs the NHS money.”