Eye clinic closes leaving patients in limbo

Judith Bosustow is worried about getting her mum to appointments that are likely to be much further from home

A clinic offering eye treatment for people with a degenerative sight condition has been closed, weeks after a health trust announced it had been saved.

The clinic on Meneage Street in Helston offered regular injections every eight to 12 weeks for patients with macular degeneration.

In August the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust (RCHT) announced the service had been saved, but patients have now been told the clinic is closing, with some not told where to go for future appointments.

One woman said her 93-year-old mother has been left "very concerned" by the closure and Andrew George, MP for St Ives, called the decision an "enormous disappointment".

RCHT said it had written to patients "to let them know we are unable to continue clinics" at Meneage Street surgery.

In a statement it said it had capacity at other sites to provide the treatment and would advise patients on transport support that may be available.

"We are sorry for any inconvenience the change of location will cause and are asking patients to give us their feedback to help us as we review options for future service provision," the trust added.

The treatment is currently on offer at West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance, the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro and at a clinic in St Austell.

George said this was "insufficient" and the Helston closure was an "enormous disappointment".

"I was given the impression in July the service would be retained," he said.

"I thought the trust had sensibly back-pedalled because it really will leave a very large number of patients without the certainty and access to a vital service.

"I am told the service at West Cornwall Hospital is already oversubscribed and that would mean very long trips for people."

Patients have been told they can no longer be treated at the Meneage Street surgery

Judith Bosustow has been taking her 93-year-old mother Joan to appointments at the Meneage Street surgery for many years.

She said: "We turned up at the last appointment and were just told it was closing - it was very sudden."

Her mum's next appointment is due in four weeks but they have not been given a date or location.

She said: "We are very concerned. She is quite reluctant to go for eye appointments anyway but having them in Helston had worked really, really well.

"They would always give you the next appointment at the time, 12 weeks ahead, so I could book the time off work to take her - to get her ready and persuade her to go."

Mr George said he had written to the chief executive of RCHT to ask them to "think again" and "consider other ways the service could be maintained or retained in the Helston area".