New eye hospital progress update

The countdown to opening is now officially underway as the NHS prepares to welcome patients to the region’s new specialist eye hospital from mid-July.

Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital was handed over to South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT) at the end of May from construction partner Kier Construction.

Since then, the Trust has been working alongside its facilities management partner, Choice, to prepare the building so that it is ready to welcome patients. Work underway includes rigorous cleaning to make sure each room is ready for patient care, while furniture, clinical equipment and IT systems are being installed.

STSFT has now confirmed that eye services will move across in phases, starting from mid-July, allowing for a smooth transition to the new city centre site.

• The first service to move will be the Eye Emergency Department. This will open at 2 pm on Saturday 11 July. Patients must call ahead using the Trust’s 24/7 emergency phone line on 0191 56 999 52 before arriving.
• All other eye services will move across by Thursday 23 July. Clear details will be included in patient appointment letters and via text messages. This will make it clear where patients should go for their planned appointment. Patients should still attend the existing Sunderland Eye Infirmary site until they are told otherwise in their appointment letter.

A leaflet will also be shared with patients to help them get to know more about the new Eye Hospital ahead of the move. A map explains how to find it. It explains how to reach it by public transport, on foot or by car and details of its 90-space on site car park for patients and visitors.

A widespread public awareness campaign, featuring the eyes of patients and staff at Sunderland Eye Infirmary, will also soon begin to make sure people know about the move across to Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital from mid-July.  This will include clear information online, via social media, in adverts and lots of other places across the local community.

Carol Jobling is the Matron for Ophthalmology.

She said: 

“We are now working as quickly as possible to get things ready to move our eye services across to the new site. We will be sad to say goodbye to what has been our home for more 70 years, but we can’t wait to be in a building which reflects the excellent care that our staff provide.

“Our eye emergency department will move first and open at 2 pm on Saturday 11 July. As always, we ask that people call our eye emergency line first and before they arrive to hospital. This is so we can give them the best advice for any urgent eye problems. The number is 0191 56 999 52 and is answered by our eye experts 24/7.

“All of our other eye services will be move across, step by step, by Thursday 23 July. Our key message for any patients with a planned eye appointment is to check the details in your appointment letter. This will tell you exactly where to go.”  

Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital was built in partnership with Sunderland City Council.  All clinical services will move across from the existing Sunderland Eye Infirmary site, with staff providing the same excellent care, but from a new city centre home.

It will continue to be home to the region's nationally renowned Cataract Treatment Centre (CTC), 24/7 Eye Emergency Department and an Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) service. This offers specialist RNIB support providing practical and emotional support to patients diagnosed with sight loss, along with their families and carers.

For the first time, patients will also benefit from a dedicated Surgical Day Unit and a Treatment and Investigation Unit ensuring our patients are receiving the right care in the right place.

When it opens this July, the new Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital will cement the city’s longstanding reputation as a centre of excellence for eye services, welcoming patients from across the North East, Cumbria and beyond.

For more information visit:

www.stsft.nhs.uk/neweyehospital