When was the last time a review of the prosthetic eye service as held, and how could service-users contribute to any review?
The Orbital Prosthetic Service is commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee and managed by Cardiff & Vale University Health Board via the Artificial Limb and Appliance Service. The service is staffed by three specialist orbital prosthetists who provide satellite clinics across Wales. North Wales is currently covered by one clinician who spends time travelling between clinics.
Orbital Prosthetic clinics have not been run from Ysbyty Gwynedd since September 2013. The change was emergency in nature and driven by the availability of suitable accommodation for provision of the service (e.g. a well-lit room is required for colour matching of prosthetic eyes). The Orbital Prosthetists spend a large proportion of their working week travelling between a number of sites. The Artificial Limb and Appliance Service made the decision to reduce the number of clinic sites that were visited as a result of a review to improve staff wellbeing and the resilience of the service. Clinician time saved by not travelling over large geographical areas has improved the service by increasing the number of clinic slots available and ensuring a reduction in waiting times.
The health board recognises the duty they have to ensure they comply with the Welsh Language Standards. The health board supports patients and service users who prefer to use Welsh when discussing their healthcare with staff. The Artificial Limb and Appliance Service will commission translators for anyone who requires them.
The Artificial Limb and Appliance Service is currently in the process of reviewing the service provision. As part of this review, feedback from patients to improve services will be welcomed. The Artificial Limb and Appliance Service has its own internal referral to treatment measures but plans to begin reporting these to Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee along with other service measures which are yet to be agreed. As well as the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, the performance of the Orbital Prosthetic service is also monitored by the health board’s Specialist Services Clinical Board.