Uncertain vision

As the wife of someone suffering from this condition, I am most concerned at the way this supposed ‘seamless transfer’ is being handled.

The Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) wrote to patients on December 30, 2014, informing them of the situation. The letter stated that ‘we will be calling every patient during the week beginning December 29. Following this, Goring Hall Hospital will be calling to confirm the date of your next appointment’.

We certainly have had no such contact from the CCG and have recently approached Goring Hall direct, which had little information to offer except that contact would be made in two to three weeks with a probable delay in a future appointment of up to two weeks.

Wet AMD is a serious condition, requiring regular monitoring and possible subsequent treatment and if left unchecked can lead to sight loss. This, of course, impacts primarily on the patient and also those close to them.

Under the old regime, patients who might have experienced sudden changes/deterioration between appointments were able to make contact with a sight care advisor for advice, but now it appears that no such service exists. Presumably, under these circumstances, the patient would now have to present themselves to an already over-stretched A&E department.

AMD patients have been left in limbo, which is creating considerable distress and anxiety. Fundamentally, this whole unfortunate and unnecessary state of affairs is due to the lack of communication between the service provider and patient.

As a concerned patient, my husband has emailed the CCG and it is hoped that, in the very near future, the situation for hundreds of wet AMD sufferers formerly served by a very competent team at Worthing Hospital will receive the consultations and treatment that they deserve.

B E Dunford

Whiteways Close

Littlehampton

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