21-07-2025
NHS patients blinded after locum doctor botched their cases
It discovered some patients returned with 'permanent visual damage', which led to a review regarding one locum consultant.
The individual no longer works at the organisation.
An external review of the ophthalmology service was then commissioned and found problems including a failure to give the right medication to some patients, and refer others for help they needed.
Clinical notes of 278 patients who had been seen by the locum consultant were reviewed by an independent consultant.
The review discovered 104 cases had a 'deviation' from guidance. The patients were contacted in April 2024 and requested to return for a full clinical review.
The trust also revealed that its incident reporting system had identified two cases of severe harm and one case of moderate harm of patients being treated with glaucoma by the same locum consultant, with similar concerns raised, in 2023.
Glaucoma is a common condition in adults over 50 and can be treated using eye drops, laser treatment or surgery. Early detection and treatment are crucial to preserving vision, as poor management can lead to blindness.
A GEH spokesman said: 'All patients affected have been contacted and we are offering our full support; we have extended our sincere apologies to them.
'Incorrect processes, carried out by an individual who no longer works for the trust, identified significant harm, up to and including sight loss, relating to a small number of patients.
'A full investigation is still currently underway into the clinical appropriateness of the ophthalmology care provided.
'New processes and oversight have already been introduced to provide safe and effective service for our patients.'
At a board meeting last month, the trust's chief medical officer said there were also more recent concerns about the trust's optometry services. Najam Rashid, the chief medical officer, said: 'We found some evidence that some of the guidelines haven't been followed.
'The governance teams and the speciality teams are looking at the pathways and doing a more in-depth analysis.'
