£2m ophthalmology investment go further through enduring innovation’

‘We can make £2m ophthalmology investment go further through enduring innovation’

Formal NHS Scotland partner InnoScot Health has welcomed a £2 million investment aimed at reducing short-term ophthalmology waiting times – but believes that the focus must still remain on embedding longer-term innovation.

Scottish Government funding, totalling £30m, has been allocated across several specialty areas to help reduce waiting times following a build up during the pandemic.

The funding is being channelled towards specialties where it is expected to make the most impact, including ophthalmology, cancer, orthopaedics, dermatology, and diagnostics.

During a visit to an ophthalmology ward at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Health secretary Neil Gray said: “As part of the £30m, we have invested close to £2m in ophthalmology, helping to increase activity in the short-term as we aim to deliver one cataract procedure every 30 minutes on standard lists.

“The number of people waiting over two years for a new outpatient appointment is down by more than half in the last two years, and we want to build on that progress.”

While welcoming the funding, Head of Innovation at InnoScot Health, Robert Rea insists that forward-thinking ophthalmic innovation must remain the longer-term target in order to instil a more sustainable service that helps to prevent further exacerbation of waiting times in future.

He said: “If ophthalmic waiting times can be quickly reduced thanks to this investment, then that is of course very welcome news and a great platform to build on, but analysing where bottlenecks have occurred and identifying innovative ways to solve them whilst increasing capacity through smarter use of existing resources has to be the true aim for more enduring service resilience.

“NHS Scotland’s drive for new breakthroughs and high-quality, inclusive eyecare during this pivotal time of transformation can undoubtedly improve patient outcomes and deliver new treatment options.

“Progressive new thinking can transform pressured ophthalmic services – and NHS Scotland’s workforce can take a lead on grasping its possibilities by identifying fresh avenues of targeted innovation that support strengthening and meaningful change in this priority area.

“Ophthalmology is undoubtedly one of the most in-demand NHS Scotland services. It responds to a complex mixture of treating the increasing needs of an ageing population, management of life-long issues, and one-off surgical interventions.

“Indeed, the Scottish population has historically suffered from chronic long-term eye diseases, with glaucoma alone accounting for more than 60,000 patients.

“Such multi-faceted, often interlinked issues require ever more innovative approaches.”

It is anticipated that the government funding will help boards across the country to collectively deliver around 12,000 additional procedures, 40,000 extra diagnostic procedures and 12,000 new outpatient appointments across the specialty areas.

The £30m represents the first instalment of £100m annual funding announced last year and the target is to clear around 100,000 inpatient and day cases from NHS Scotland’s waiting list.

Robert continued: “Empowered, forward-thinking staff can be instrumental in helping to make that investment go further by contributing to how the health service adapts through targeted ophthalmic innovation for an eye-opening future.

“Gains have been made in recent times – the Community Glaucoma Service (CGS) has helped to offset hospital pressures while the ophthalmology team at Ninewells is now capable of performing up to 50 cataract procedures daily following the introduction of simultaneous bilateral surgery, which has made the team one of the most productive cataract services in the UK.

“Smarter thinking on how to make best use of existing resources and heighten efficiency can make all the difference, but equally small adjustments can have a significant impact too. We believe the vast experience of the NHS workforce is instrumental in spotting those opportunities.”

Encouraging NHS Scotland’s diverse workforce to come up with new ideas that achieve better outcomes in pressured ophthalmology is vital and at the heart of InnoScot Health’s latest innovation call.

The call offers a package of support to health and social care staff, including advice and guidance in such areas as intellectual property protection, regulation, funding, project management, and commercialisation, to a value of £25,000 initially.

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Photograph by Martin Shields