Praise for Newmedica health clinic

Teesside’s ground-breaking new eye health clinic and surgical centre has been praised for providing a range of ‘amazing’ services that reduce waiting times.

The 3,500sq ft Newmedica centre at North Ormesby opened in October with the aim of improving eye health services in the community and helping to reduce waiting times for patients needing essential treatment for sight-loss conditions.

Since then, Teesside Newmedica has delivered over a 1,000 appointments and surgical procedures for patients with a range of eye health conditions including cataract, ocular hypertension, oculoplastic surgery and glaucoma.

Joan Breeze received flowers and chocolates during the eye health clinic’s recent official opening ceremony, in recognition of her being one of the first patients when she had her cataracts removed.

Other dignitaries attending the official opening included Cllr John Hobson of Middlesbrough Council.

Joan, who cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony, said: ‘I came here because I was told I’d be seen within four weeks and the service was excellent. My eyesight is so important to me and my treatment was amazing – I simply cannot recommend it enough. The staff do an incredible job.’

The centre serves Teesside and the surrounding areas, stretching to Stockton, Hartlepool, County Durham and Darlington, Northallerton and beyond. It has three consultancy rooms, three treatment rooms and one theatre equipped with the latest innovations from the ophthalmology industry.

Darshak Shah, Managing Director at Newmedica, said Newmedica has a trusted 12-year track record of working closely with the NHS to carry out a range of specialist eye care services at no cost to patients.

He added: ‘Most eye conditions are age-related, and there is an increased need for routine operations.

‘Eye operations don’t necessarily need to be in big hospitals, which is why we have created this specialist unit. It is the first integrated Eye Clinic and Surgical Centre we have established with an outpatients department and an operating theatre under one roof. We are very proud of our new facility, and the team are working fantastically hard to ensure each patient receives the best care.’

Patients can be referred to the centre at 29-30 Market Place, North Ormesby, by their GP or optician, and will be typically seen within two weeks for their first appointment.

Surgery usually takes place within the following two weeks, eliminating any unnecessary delay or worry that patients might experience when told they need treatment for a sight-loss condition.

Treatments include cataract surgery and management, ocular hypertension and glaucoma treatment and monitoring, oculoplastic surgery, medical retina, and a special laser treatment designed to improve vision after cataract surgery.

Doug Perkins, a co-founder of Specsavers, one of the Newmedica partners, said: ‘The thing that people don’t plan for is their failing sight, but as we live longer it’s inevitable that we are going develop some sort of eye condition. What we are providing at North Ormesby will complement the NHS by meeting the demand as our population ages.’

Newmedica began in 2007 with a mission to revolutionise the care and treatment for patients by creating a new national network of specialist eye clinics that have a seamless link with all optometrists and GPs.

Annette Johnson is Operational Director of Teesside Newmedica, working with Consultant Ophthalmologists Qasim Mansoor and Philip Severn, who bring more than 35 years of clinical experience to the new venture.

She said: ‘We have already had some lovely feedback from patients who are absolutely thrilled to be seen and treated so quickly. We are looking forward to being able to make a significant difference to people’s lives in the community.’ The North Ormesby centre is open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm. For more information, call 01642087614.