New Forest pensioner with a degenerative eye condition feared he could go blind after industrial action meant he was unable to have his regular treatment on time at Royal Bournemouth Hospital
A NEW Forest pensioner with a degenerative eye condition feared he could lose his sight after recent consultant strikes meant he was unable to undergo his regular treatment.
The resident, who has asked not to be named, suffers with macular degeneration, which affects his vision.
The condition can make everyday activities such as reading difficult, and without treatment a person’s sight will get progressively worse.
Speaking to the A&T, the pensioner said he receives an injection into his eye every eight weeks, carried out at Royal Bournemouth Hospital by a specialist doctor.
However, he became concerned when he failed to receive an appointment for his most recent injection, and upon contacting the hospital says he was told there was no availability due to industrial action.
Last month saw the first strike by consultants in more than a decade, with a 48-hour walkout.
NHS England has said that in contrast to strike action among other staff groups, “no other clinicians can provide cover for consultants”.
“Any planned care delivered by junior doctors or other healthcare professionals that requires even remote consultant supervision will need to be rescheduled,” they said.
The man told the A&T: “When I was told I couldn’t get an appointment it scared the life out of me, it’s been a real worry.
“It is imperative you have the injections on time – that’s what the hospital tell you – otherwise the eyes deteriorate.”
He added the strikes were “downright selfish” and said: “To my mind this is doctors breaking their hippocratic oath – they don’t care about the patients, they just care about their pockets.
“They have quite a nice lifestyle already and are just taking the money away from where it should go, to the nurses who are relying on foodbanks.”
It has been estimated that more than 830,000 appointments have been postponed as a result of all NHS strikes since December, which includes junior doctors and nurses.
NHS England also revealed 7.6m people were waiting for treatment at the end of June, the highest number since records began in August 2007.
Fortunately, the man was able to receive his injection after a cancellation, which he feels only happened because he had “made a fuss”.
He added he wanted to raise awareness of the situation as he was concerned for others who may not be able to speak up, and for more elderly patients who may not realise they had missed an appointment as there had been no communication from the hospital.
The British Medical Association announced last week that consultants in England will go on strike on 19th and 20th September if the Government continues to “refuse to agree to pay talks”.
The A&T has contacted the NHS for comment.