Eye Specialist Concerns
A recent BBC investigation has revealed that an eye specialist in Worcester, Mr Paul Chell Clinical Director of Ophthalmology at Kidderminster General Hospital voiced concerns in 2008 to the Chief Executive of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, John Rostill about nurses making treatment decisions that “go beyond their training”. This followed the case of Claire Holmes a 24 year old from Worcestershire who was left virtually blind in one eye following two attendances at Kidderminster minor injuries unit in 2008.
She had attended with pain in her eye and was told by a nurse that she had scratched the eye and was given ointment. She went back 2 days later because she was in considerable pain and was prescribed another ointment by a different nurse. Two days later there was discharge from her eye and she could not see out of it. She went back again and was assessed by an ophthalmologist who examined her with a specialist lamp, diagnosed an ulcer and referred her to the Midland Eye Centre in Birmingham however by this time she had lost 95% vision in that eye.
Mr Chell warned of the dangers of nurses in general acute care settings treating complex eye conditions way beyond their skills.
John Rostill Chief Executive of the Trust has since apologised for the failure to refer Miss Holmes to an ophthalmologist within 24 hours as she should have been. If this course of action had been taken it was accepted that she would not have lost he vision in her eye. Miss Holmes has settled a claim for compensation from the Trust.
The Trust has stated that they have since reviewed their procedures for patients presenting with an eye problem since this matter came to light.