Letter to The Guardian published 19th January 2011 in reference to a front page story on NHS reform (18th January 2011).
Sadly it is not only four PCTs in the North West of England that are drastically restricting access to cataract surgery. RNIB knows of many other PCTs that are going down this road to save money.
Their approach is forcing older people to live for many months and in some cases years with unnecessary sight loss and a reduced quality of life. It is also leading to older people having falls and expensive hip replacement surgery.
It also creates inefficiencies within the hospital system with many cataract surgeons now unable to fill their operating lists. Short term savings of this sort in the health budget make no sense morally or economically.
Yours sincerely
Steve Winyard
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Head of Policy and Campaigns
(Royal National Instituted of Blind People (RNIB)