Mid / South Essex

Essex Referrals Pathway Broomfield – document showing correct referral methods for Broomfield hospital.
Essex Referrals Pathway Southend – document showing correct referral methods for Southend hospital.
Emergency Referrals – (link at the top HES details page) information about emergency referrals only, but to multiple eye departments.

Orthoptic Referrals
Ophthalmology and orthoptic services delivered by mid Essex hospital services NHS trust

Independent Sector Providers (ISPs)
There are numerous ISP’s across Essex. Details of all are gradually being updated here

Out of Area Referrals
If you have a patient with a GP in a specific ICB but they want to be seen in a hospital within a different ICB, can you ensure you refer via the patients GP. This especially applies to any patient who has a GP in Mid or South Essex who wants to be seen at another hospital other than Southend, Broomfield or BMI. This also applies to patients who want to be seen at a hospital out of Essex.

Specific 2 week cancer referral form for Southend Hospital.

The following documents are the restriction policies issued by Mid Essex.
For cataract referrals:
The “completed proforma” is simply the referral form.
Please state on the referral that the patient wishes to have the operation.
The “Decision Making Leaflet” only needs to be issued to a patient who is unsure whether they would like cataract surgery.
“Using the patient’s own words” can be as simple as “the patient reports difficulty driving at night” or “the patient reports they can no longer read their books” etc.

• Mid Essex Cataract Restriction Policy: Catacacts Mid Essex CCG service restriction policy – sept16. Cataracts decision making leaflet
• Mid Essex Bletheroplasty Restriction Policy: blepharoplasty-meccg-service-restriction-policy-sept16
• Mid Essex Chalazia Restriction Policy: chalazion-mid-essex-ccg-service-restriction-policy-sept16
• Mid Essex Dysthyroid Restriction Policy: dysthyroid-eye-disease-mid-essex-ccg-service-restriction-policy-sep16

South CCGs Cataract Service Restriction policy

PRESCRIBING GUIDELINES FOR DRY EYE SYNDROME
Prescribing of ocular lubricants for the management of mild to moderate dry eye syndrome is not supported.
Patients are expected to follow self-care advice and where necessary purchase ocular lubricants over the
counter to manage their dry eye symptoms

For more details please see Management of dry eye syndrome (MSEMOC)

PRESCRIBING GUIDEILNES FOR AMD
The ICB does not support the prescribing of lutein and antioxidant supplements for
the prevention of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or any other indication. Prescribing of lutein
and antioxidant supplements is a low clinical priority due to the lack of robust evidence of clinical
effectiveness and ability to obtain sufficient quantities in a healthy balanced diet

For more details please see Lutein and antioxidant supplements MSEMOC position statement (MSEMOC)