A pioneering specialist UK digital eye screening service designed to detect diabetic retinopathy is on track to smashing its targets for the year.
Staffordshire Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Service was the first community led programme of its kind to be launched in the UK in 2006.
The service averages 4,000 patient screenings per month and is now well on track to exceeding its target of 36,000 patients by March next year.
Run by Staffordshire Primary Care Trust, the programme uses innovative digital imaging software, produced by Digital Healthcare, and an electronic patient records system.
It is responsible for the care of around 41,000 diabetes patients who are invited to attend a screening clinic near to their homes.
Malcolm Gray, an optometrist and Clinical Director of the Screening Service, said: “The new system provided by Digital Healthcare is allowing us to reach out to the diabetic community by facilitating easy access to screening appointments in a range of locations.”
Mr Gray added that they are now looking at ways to expand delivery so that even more diabetes patients can be offered access to digital screening appointments.
