Huddersfield diabetic eye tests halted

Jan 23 2010 by Anne-Marie Senior, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

VITAL diabetic eye checks have been halted in Huddersfield as health chiefs carry out a review of the service.

Annual screening appointments for 1,500 Kirklees diabetes patients have been delayed for two months after the service was suspended at the beginning of December last year.

The test checks thousands of diabetics each year for an eye condition called retinopathy, which can lead to blindness if left untreated.

Today NHS Kirklees – which commissions the service run by 1st Retinal Screen Ltd – said it hoped the service would be up and running again “shortly”.

It was put on hold after parts of the screening process fell below the expected standards.

An external check by the English National Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme also highlighted concerns with the existing service.

Health bosses are remaining tight-lipped about the nature of the problems.

But they have decided to stop eye screening in South Kirklees and Calderdale until all the problems have been ironed out.