Patients had to travel for treatment
The Department of Health and Social Care plan to improve the range of eye-care services provided on Island, stopping patients having to travel to Liverpool for treatment.
Increasing numbers of Manx patients, most of whom are over 60 years old, have to travel to the UK, as the Ophthalmology Department at Noble's Hospital does not provide many of the newer services that are available elsewhere.
A set of proposals has been put to the public this week (Mon 16th), following the news that the DHSC spends more per capita than almost all UK regions on eye care.
A previous consultation proposed increases to the intervals between sight tests from one to two years, claiming there is no clinical benefit from more regular testing.
And Director of Commissioning Tim Mansfield says he appreciates the difficulties for patients travelling abroad for eye care services:
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