Public invited to tour new ‘Eye Unit’ at Rochdale Infirmary

Ward manager Sister Janice Crabtree, Staff Nurse Pam Hey, Staff Nurse Berni Solaymani

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Rochdale Infirmary, is holding a tour for the general public to see the new Ophthalmology Eye Unit at Rochdale Infirmary on Friday 18 January at 2pm.

The Trust has spent £1.8 million to transfer the Ophthalmology Service from Birch Hill Hospital to Rochdale Infirmary.

The unit recently opened to patients on 2 January 2013 and will provide a comprehensive ophthalmology service for both planned and emergency eye care for the population of Heywood, Middleton, and Rochdale, Bury, Rossendale and parts of East Lancashire, Tameside and Glossop.

‘The Eye Unit’, as it is called, is a ‘state of the art’ environment and is expected to significantly improve both patient and staff experience,  and provide safe, high quality care to all patients who undergo an ophthalmic procedure.

The unit is located on Level C at the Infirmary. It provides a broad range of ophthalmic services including; a full out-patient service, Pre-op assessment clinic, a Day Case unit which has two co-located theatres, three wards, two for adults plus a dedicated children’s ward, where a variety of surgical procedures will take place from Monday to Friday, a Casualty Clinic with an out of hours service up to 8.30pm.

Ophthalmology is the study of the eye and its diseases. The ophthalmology team see and treat people with eye conditions such as cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, paediatric ophthalmology; orthoptics, vitreo-retinal surgery, corneal service and low vision service.

Mr Hashmi, clinical director for Ophthalmology at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust which runs Rochdale Infirmary, said: “There has been a considerable amount of commitment from all the staff involved in the development of the new Eye Unit at Rochdale Infirmary and the design will combine outpatients and treatment facilities which represent a significant improvement to both staff and patients.”

The tour will give people the opportunity to view the whole of the ‘Eye Unit’, its high-tech equipment and also meet the staff who will be available to show people around the department and the designated clinical suites including the macular degeneration team to discuss issues relating to this disease, glaucoma nurses, theatre staff and low visual aids. A local guide dog and puppy will also be on the unit.

The tour will run between 2pm – 3.30 pm. Spaces are limited so booking is required. For more information and to book on the tour, please contact Angela Greenwood in the FT membership office on 01706-517302 or email ft.membership@pat.nhs.uk