New Diabetic Eye Screening Programme introduced at Girvan Community Hospital

South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) in collaboration with NHS Ayrshire & Arran Public Health is delighted to introduce a new Diabetic Eye Screening Programme (DES) clinic at Girvan Community Hospital. This new clinic will provide 16 appointments per week with approximately 650 appointments over the course of the year.

The purpose of Diabetic Eye Screening Programme (DES) is to check the back of the eyes for signs of retinopathy for anyone living with diabetes who is aged 12 years and over. Retinopathy is damage caused to the blood vessels at the back of the eye caused by diabetes and can be treated by laser if caught early enough; left untreated it can cause loss of sight.

A gap in the provision of DES in Girvan and surrounding areas became apparent when the accredited DES Optometrist in Girvan retired in May 2024. Discussions with Public Health, GPs and the South Ayrshire HSCP initially took place during the summer of 2024 to look at replicating a similar model to the Dalmellington Health Hub at Girvan Community Hospital (GCH). Discussions were soon opened up to various other support groups and diabetes services that could potentially wrap round the new DES clinic.

Linda Semple, Chair of the Integration Joint board said, "South Ayrshire has a very unique demographic with a number of rural communities, particularly in our southern localities. We are committed supporting easier access to preventative medicine to help support our communities to live well. The DES clinics are extremely important in the early detection of eye conditions for people living with diabetes, we are delighted to be able to offer this support closer to home to help protect our communities and prevent hospital admissions for more complex cases."

The DES programme is delivered in Ayrshire using a hybrid model; a mixture of community Optometry and Health Board provision. Accommodation within GCH has been sourced and the South Ayrshire HSCP agreed and have provided funding to purchase camera equipment and to help coordinate the introduction of these new clinics.

Diane Smith, Improvement and Development Manager for Screening said, "Our DES screener is very experienced with over 40 years' experience as a Medical Photographer and has been a DES screener since the programme began in Ayrshire in August 2006. A further Optometry Practice, Pamela Gray Opticians in Girvan has also since joined the DES Programme. With both the Optometry Practice and the Health Board Clinic at GCH now up and running and supporting the people in Girvan and surrounding areas."

Managing long term conditions is a priority for the Girvan and South Carrick Locality Planning Partnership. With these clinics now in place it is hoped that further discussions with the various other support groups and diabetes services will continue to allow further support for people living with diabetes and possibly other long-term conditions will be linked in with the DES clinic.  

Tim Eltringham, Director of Health and Social Care added, "We are working closely with service providers and communities to shape and deliver services locally. Our Locality Planning Partnership is an important vehicle to allows the voice of our community to be heard. We have six LPPs in South Ayrshire which allows us to shape our services around the needs of each individual area."