Tomorrow’s eye surgeons are being trained at a sight-saving Teesside clinic as part of an initiative aimed at easing the NHS’s workload.
Newmedica Middlesbrough is among the country’s first ophthalmology clinics to offer its expertise and state-of-the-art facilities to aspiring young NHS surgeons.
This is part of an agreement between independent healthcare providers and the NHS to ensure medical trainees have new opportunities to train in elective surgery or diagnostic activities in the independent sector.
The agreement came about to enable independent hospitals to support the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic.
This means that Newmedica Middlesbrough, which looks after patients from across Teesside and the surrounding area, is now giving trainee surgeons opportunities to use their skills in theatres and learn from senior clinicians.
Qasim Mansoor, Consultant Ophthalmologist at Newmedica Middlesbrough, said that his clinic will continue to develop close partnership-working with local NHS organisations for the benefit of patients.
He added: “Training is the core of becoming a skilled surgeon and something that I am very passionate about.
“Newmedica have worked closely with The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough to provide a training programme for ophthalmic trainees and we are already receiving positive feedback from the trainees and patients.
“We are very proud as an independent provider to be involved in this invaluable programme of education.”
Middlesbrough is setting the trend for other Newmedica clinics, which are finalising their plans for trainees and hope to be involved in the next few months, with trainee surgeons working in every Newmedica facility around the country.
Nigel Kirkpatrick, Newmedica Clinical Director, said: “The next generation of surgeons will undoubtedly benefit from spending dedicated time in our modern surgery centres, where they’ll have the opportunity to see lots of patients.
“We offer closely supervised training sessions with experienced consultants to allow the trainees to increase their skills. Surgery is an apprentice-style skill where the trainees and consultants work closely together to remove cataracts, treat eyelid diseases and perform laser treatments that restore vision.
“Learning as a doctor never ceases and the trainees often bring new ideas and concepts to our training sessions, allowing even the most senior surgeons to adapt techniques to improve outcomes for patients.”
Newmedica was started more than 10 years ago. Its clinics already provide services for NHS CCGs, NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts, as well as other providers of NHS-funded services – caring for more than 120,000 patients a year.
Newmedica’s clinics across the country offer a range of specialist eye-care services, including glaucoma management and cataract surgery.
Further information about Newmedica is available at www.newmedica.co.uk.
