CHEC (Community Health and Eyecare), one of the largest providers of ophthalmology services in the UK, has announced that it will now be offering private cataract surgery at its Bridgend treatment centre.
CHEC's Bridgend facility opened in 2019, and has been serving the local community ever since to tackle the increasing number of patients requiring treatment for eye conditions such as cataracts. CHEC's private offering in Wales will initially focus on providing cataract surgery to patients as well as other ophthalmology services, including consultations, diagnostic tests, and post-operative reviews.
CHEC's Bridgend site is conveniently located by the M4 for easy access for residents across south Wales, and has a competitive private treatment fee which includes all necessary treatment on the day of surgery, inclusive of monofocal lens replacement, medication and surgeon's fees.
With ophthalmic treatment making up around 10% of NHS backlogs in 2022, CHEC's Bridgend treatment centre is vital to provide additional capacity for high quality ophthalmic services to patients in Wales. Pressure on the NHS is at its highest point yet - the wait for routine surgery for cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal diseases is between 40-45 weeks on average. CHEC's Bridgend facility will provide patients with an alternative high quality, affordable and efficient service for patients that feel they can no longer wait for NHS funded treatment.
CHEC's high quality care and 99% patient satisfaction rate have been key to CHEC's success in 2022, which saw CHEC open six new centres across the UK, expand its services into endoscopy, and launch its innovative patient app, which has been shortlisted for the Tomorrow's Care Awards 2023. In 2022, and in recognition of CHEC's caring culture, it gained certification as a Great Place to Work.
Jon Dore, Chief Operating Officer at CHEC, said: "We are pleased to announce that we have started to offer private cataract treatment in Wales in order to support patients in the region with excellent patient care and high quality treatment and aftercare. We look forward to continuing to expand our range of services in Wales and working in partnership with optometrists to meet the growing demand for cataract surgery by providing a more affordable and accessible service in the local community."
CHEC also recently announced that its Stoke site received an "Outstanding" rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC rating reflects the exceptional performance of CHEC Stoke and is the highest rating that can be awarded by the CQC. The CQC's report highlighted the "strong, visible person-centred culture" present at CHEC Stoke and observed that "patients' individual needs and preferences were central to the planning and delivery of tailored services". The report also remarked upon the flexibility of services, support of patient choice and implementation of considered and innovative pathways enabling continuity of care.
Jose Bailey, Commercial Director at CHEC said: "We are delighted to announce this "Outstanding" rating for CHEC Stoke. The recognition is welcomed as a strong testament to the consistent, high-quality, and safe delivery of CHEC's services as we continue to support our wider NHS partners in the patient-centred provision of treatment. At a time when NHS waiting lists are continuing to climb, community-based treatment epitomises the importance of alternative patient choice and ongoing healthcare across the UK.
"Our phenomenal teams strive to achieve Outstanding status across all CHEC treatment centres by continuing to place patients at the heart of our ethos in the delivery of first-class healthcare, earning us this distinguished classification."
Nick Brownfield, Regional Operations Manager, said: "We are enormously proud to be given an "Outstanding" rating from the CQC. CHEC Stoke places patients at the heart of our practice, and it is wonderful to have this commitment recognised in the CQC's rating. This is an enormous testament to our dedicated team at CHEC Stoke".
