Eye Up The Downe Hospital Cataract Care Team

Announced by the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust is the Theatre Team from the new Northern Ireland Elective Cataract Care Centre at the Downe Hospital.

In October 2018, the Department of Health announced that the Downe Hospital had been chosen as a new elective centre to deliver a day surgery cataract prototype service, serving patients across Northern Ireland.

Pictured (l-r) are, front row, Staff Nurse Anne Quail, Mr Sri Kamalaraja (Consultant Ophthalmologist), Staff Nurse Jackie Englen, Dr Olivia  Earley (Consultant Ophthalmologist), Sister Dolores Boyle (Theatre Manager), Staff Nurse Aisling  Bloomfield, Staff Nurse Ciara Barr. Back row:  Nursing Assistant Mellissa Hynes , Mr Gawn Mc Ilwaine (Consultant Ophthalmologist), Paul Reilly (Manager Day Procedure Unit), Dr Maria Napier (Consultant Ophthalmologist)  Dr Jayne Best (Consultant Ophthalmologist),  and Staff Nurse Margot Mc Neill . Team members missing from photo are, Ophthalmology Consultants Mr Michael O Gallagher, Mr  Stuart Mc Gimpsey and Ms Maeve Lagan.

The Downe Hospital is one of three hospitals selected along with the Mid Ulster and South Tyrone hospitals, and will expand the cataract surgical service, to a daily service to facilitate Cataract Surgery from all over Northern Ireland.

This prototype work forms part of the Department of Health’s modernisation plan to transform the delivery of elective care services and reduce waiting times for such types of ‘day procedures’.