Tánaiste Micheál Martin has expressed hope that the opening of a new ophthalmological unit in Cork complete with a second operating theatre will eliminate the need for patients from the region having to travel to Belfast for cataract surgery.
Around 4,000 patients have caught the ‘Cataract Express’ to Belfast since the service was established by Cork South West Independent Ireland TD Michael Collins and Kerry Independent TDs, Michael and Danny Healy-Rae in 2017 with up to 30 patients travelling north for surgery each month.
Speaking in Cork on Monday where he officially opened the new Ophthalmological Unit at the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Mr Martin said he had no doubt the unit would help reduce the numbers of those awaiting cataract and other eye surgeries in Cork and Kerry.
“I would hope in the fullness of time that this new unit will reduce the numbers travelling to Belfast for cataract surgery – the taxpayer funds the Belfast Bus and we provide that expressly because of the fact when Britain left the European Union, the cross-Border directive no longer applied.
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“But, in the interests of patients, we continue to fund some sort of all-island approach for accessing services for cataracts in particular. But the numbers here are encouraging, particularly in relation to this facility in terms of getting numbers through here, and the waiting times are reducing.
“The waiting times need to reduce more and we need to fully realise the capacity that the second theatre here provides for, but staff numbers have doubled here in this facility and that will reduce waiting times.”
SIVUH CEO Helen Donovan said the new Ophthalmology Unit represents a major investment in healthcare for the Cork and Kerry communities and will enable the hospital to care for approximately 45,000 patients a year needing eye treatment.
CEO of the South/South West Hospital Group, Prof John R Higgins said the new unit includes advanced amenities such as laser rooms, consulting rooms, a corneal topography room, and an electrophysiology room for treatments previously requiring travel to Dublin.
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