The Friends of Faversham Cottage Hospital and Community Medical Centres partner with Faversham Medical Practice to bring vital eye services to Faversham.
Vision for the future. Important new eye services have been introduced in Faversham. At the official launch on Friday (15th December) MP Helen Whately and the Mayor of Faversham Trevor Martin were shown the new ophthalmic equipment which will enable patients to benefit from cataract surgery and injections for Wet AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration) and minor eye operations locally. The vital new services based at Faversham Medical Practice will avoid the need for patients to travel out of the area for treatment.
Helen Whately MP and the Mayor of Faversham join us at the official launch of this important new service which will mean that patients no longer have to travel out of the area for treatment.
Helen Whately said “This is such brilliant news for Faversham. It’ll mean faster treatment for patients and fewer journeys in and out of town. I’m delighted we’ve got this new service right in the heart of Faversham.
“The future of healthcare will be about people getting the care they need closer to home, and this is another step in the right direction locally. I’m hugely grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to make this happen, including Dr Gupta and colleagues at Faversham Medical Practice, the Friends of Faversham Cottage Hospital and generous donors.”
Cataracts affect around 1 in 3 people primarily, but not exclusively, those aged over 65. Over 330,000 cataract operations are carried out each year to provide relief for sufferers. Cataract surgery is a relatively straightforward process which can make a significant difference to the eyesight of those affected.
Wet AMD is a common condition which usually begins in patients in their 50s or 60s and can cause loss of vision. It can be treated with regular eye injections which are now available in Faversham.
The new eye services were initiated by the team at Faversham Medical Practice and has been supported by The Friends of Faversham Cottage Hospital and Community Medical Centres, which partly funded the equipment.
Dr Gaurav Gupta, of Faversham Medical Practice, said: “We are all delighted to be able to provide these vital services to patients closer to where they live. This development is the result of many years of preparation and hard work by the practice team. We are extremely grateful to The Friends for their ongoing support of the work that we do for our patients.”
One of the first patients to have cataract surgery at the new service, Mrs Galagher, said: “This is the best thing that happened to Faversham Medical Practice and Faversham. It was a very calm experience, and everyone was so nice. It was a very quick journey of only eight weeks from referral to having both eyes done.”
The Friends of Faversham Cottage Hospital, a local charity which raises funds to support medical centres in Faversham, donated £150,000 towards the cost of the equipment to provide this valuable facility benefitting people in the Faversham area. The charity was instrumental in helping to keep the Urgent Treatment Centre open and has previously helped to fund equipment, including an ultrasound scanner and X-ray machine and support for staff after the pandemic.
Chair of the charity Alison Reynolds said “We are pleased to help to fund this new equipment. It will mean that people in the Faversham area no longer need to travel miles to get the eye surgery and treatment that they need for these potentially life changing conditions. The ‘Friends’ are committed to helping Medical Centres in the Faversham area to provide essential equipment and services that will benefit the community and we are grateful to the donors who help us to do this.”
Patients requiring cataract surgery or other eye services will need to be referred by their doctor or optician.
Patients who are currently getting their Wet AMD injections from other service providers can request their current care provider to transfer their care to Faversham.
Mr Hamid Raza demonstrating the equipment used for eye treatment to Helen Whately MP and the Mayor of Faversham with Dr. Gupta from Faversham Medical Practice and Alison Reynolds, Chair of the Friends.
The team from Faversham Medical Practice and representatives from the Friends of Faversham Cottage Hospital and Community Medical Centres.
To find out more about The Friends of Faversham Cottage Hospital visit www.friends-favershamcottagehospital.org
Friends of Faversham Cottage Hospital is a registered charity number 1185067. The charity provides support for Faversham Cottage Hospital, Faversham Medical Practice, Newton Place Surgery and the Urgent Treatment Centre.
www.friends-favershamcottagehospital.org
