From: "Mary Hawking" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2004 6:31 AM
> This seems to be wandering into a discussion of waiting lists, capacity,
> etc,etc ;-<
>
> My original question was specific: does anyone know what effect the
> sudden removal of cataract surgery to a private provider (ISTC) have on
> the provision of ophthalmology in the NHS in Oxford?
Probably the Trust knows but how will you know if they tell you the truth.
They are likely to tell you the removal of the high-volume straightforward
stuff will damage their infrastructure and training capacity & change the
casemix so that they are dealing only with complex stuff but will be less
able to support it. If there is not enough activity left they will have to
downsize the department and if below a critical size (EWTD, Hospital @Night
etc) they would have to consolidate with another unit / close. Who knows,
this could be true.
I suppose it's a bit like GPs having resources removed to fund nurse led
units for seeing everyone with minor ailments. Suddenly the day is filled
with complex cases and fewer resources to deal with them, or alternatively
the day is not filled and some people are redundant..
Fay
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