QEH’s new £3 million West Norfolk Eye Centre opened this week which will enable thousands more appointments and procedures every year.
The new centre will provide a dedicated Ophthalmology outpatient facility for the first time which will provide a bigger specialist facility for patients while freeing up space for other specialities in the main building.
More patients will be able to receive their care more quickly at the centre which is double the size of the old outpatient unit with separate rooms for outpatient appointments and diagnostic tests. There are two rooms dedicated for laser treatments compared to one previously allowing more patients to be seen and treated.
Every year around 34,000 outpatient eye appointments and 7,000 eye procedures are carried out for glaucoma, cataracts, retina conditions, child eye conditions and other procedures. An extra 2,000 appointments and 2,000 more intravitreal (IVT) injection procedures (eye injections to treat a variety of retinal conditions) annually.
As part of the new facilities there will be a dedicated training space for staff, as well as GPs and community optometrists
Commenting on the new centre James said:
“This new Centre will offer better facilities for patients and staff and enable thousands more appointments and treatments to be carried out every year. Along with the new Endoscopy Unit, new Emerson Unit, digital investment, and the planned Diagnostic Assessment Centre, this is part of investment in modernising QEH to offer better care.”
