Eye care case study: Bradford District Care Trust and Bradford Teaching Hospitals
Published 27 January 2020
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Case study: Bradford District Care Trust and Bradford Teaching Hospitals
Bradford District Care Trust and Bradford Teaching Hospitals have developed a patient pathway which links existing community and hospital services to enable identification and treatment for people with learning disabilities and eye problems.
The community team ensure vision is discussed as part of regular health reviews and the importance of eye checks is communicated to the carers. A specialist orthoptist screens patients with moderate and severe learning disabilities annually. An assessment of functional vision is undertaken at a community health centre or where the person lives, as a familiar environment can help patients to be more relaxed. Patients for whom there are concerns about vision are referred directly to a member of the consultant ophthalmology team in the hospital.
The learning disability support staff in the community provide information direct to the ophthalmologist about the patient’s medical background and likely ability to tolerate various tests in the clinic, which also doubles as a way of preparing the patient and carer for what might happen in clinic.
Appointments are arranged at a time which suits the patient and carer and is communicated immediately to the community team who can then ensure appropriate support is available in the clinic and can arrange desensitisation visits if required. On arrival, patients are identified at the front desk and seen following a minimal wait in a quiet area. Repetition of testing or inappropriate visual acuity testing is avoided. Reasonable adjustments, such as multiple appointments to complete the examination, are commonly used. Outcomes of the appointment are communicated directly to the patient, carer and community team.
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