Cataract patients still facing postcode lottery

NHS patients in England face waiting up to 15 months in a postcode lottery, a new Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) report has found.

Data found significant differences in waiting times for NHS cataract treatment – from first outpatient appointment to cataract surgery itself – across England’s CCGs in 2015/16.

Patients served by Enfield CCG waited 467 days on average for cataract treatment, while Luton CCG patients waited just 15.

Fazilet Hadi, RNIB group director of engagement, said: 'Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said access to cataract treatment should be based on clinical need first and foremost. RNIB agrees but our latest research proves that this is not what is happening. The postcode lottery of services means patients with cataracts are regularly being denied access to timely treatment on the basis of where they live.’