Local NHS Eyecare Services Signposting
Written by AlisonFreemantle on Tuesday 22nd June 2021
Community Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES) is an NHS service provided by local optical practices. It is for all patients registered with a Southampton, West Hampshire, Isle of Wight or North Hampshire CCG GP practice
The aim of this service has been to ensure people can access urgent eyecare and therefore reduce demand on GP surgeries and hospital eye services. The service provides initial contact, telephone triage, remote consultations and where necessary face to face assessments for patients with eye problems.
The service is available for patients with the following symptoms:
- Red or painful eye or eyelids
- Recently occurring flashes or floaters
- Recent and sudden loss of vision
- Foreign body in the eye
Patients can contact the single point of access via phone on 0300 303 4922 from 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday, or there is a list of accredited optical practices outside these times currently providing the service on the following Primary Eyecare website page; using the ‘Find a practice’ tool:
When a patient contacts the single point of access, they are screened and then when appropriate, have a remote consultation arranged with one of the CUES optometrists. When a face to face appointment is required, this will be arranged at a local participating optical practice within an appropriate timescale.
To help promote awareness of the service the following poster, letter to pharmacies and leaflet have been published: