16 April 2021
A new retinal screening clinic room at the General Hospital has officially opened.
The new clinic room will be open to Islanders suffering from Diabetes and Diabetic retinopathy, a condition that develops when blood vessels in the retina become damaged and can lead to blindness.
Diabetes is currently the fourth most common cause of blindness and it is advised that people who have been diagnosed with the disease attend retinal screening appointments as soon as possible after diagnosis.
Due to COVID-19, the Jersey Diabetic Retinal Screening Programme's (JDRSP) pilot clinic was suspended, however since January, the JDRSP has introduced:
- Daily clinics (both at the General Hospital and Overdale)
- Appointments and correspondence available in English, Portuguese, and Polish
- A new OCT scanner and slit lamp to allow surveillance clinics to start
- Two new retinal cameras donated by Diabetes Jersey
The clinic will be named The du Chemin Suite, in memory of Alain du Chemin who has helped set up the retinal screening service in the Island, and will be located in the Gwyneth Huelin Wing.
Programme Manager, Sarah Evans said: "The du Chemin Suite will house an OCT scanner and Alain is donating a significant amount of money so we can buy a slit lamp, which will allow us to see and manage many more patients. We are incredibly grateful for Alain's generosity and his continued support. We are hopeful we will have a full programme running before the autumn and every diabetic in the Island seen by the end of the year."
Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf said: "I am pleased that this encouraging step has been made to help those Islanders that are at risk of Diabetic retinopathy.
"We are extremely thankful for the incredible donations both Alain du Chemin and Diabetes Jersey have given and we remain committed to providing help to those with this disease."
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