The new normal eye clinic

Whoever knew so much could change so quickly? At Newmedica we emerged from lockdown piecemeal, but in some ways stronger, safer and more efficient. All our services are open at the time of writing, some more than others. A few use operating theatres that are seconded to the NHS, but otherwise we are performing cataract and other eye surgery on routine (but often significantly visually handicapped) patients for the first time since February.

One of our locations never stopped working at all. Our Teesside clinic in Middlesbrough worked with the local NHS Trust to provide macular degeneration services during the outbreak, as this was defined as a critical service. Trust staff and our staff worked together to maintain services for patients who needed care, and we had a great opportunity to build on existing good relationships with the acute provider. Hats off to all those who worked with patients during that most uncertain time early in the epidemic.