Community screening clinic helps protect sight in Bentley

Run by the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Diabetic Eye Screening Programme, the clinic focused on people who are less likely to attend their routine screening appointments. These sessions are a vital part of diabetes care, as they can detect early signs of eye damage before symptoms develop, helping to prevent sight loss.

Diabetic eye screening is quick and painless. It involves putting drops in the eyes to widen the pupils, then taking photographs of the back of the eyes (the retina) using a special camera. These images are checked by trained professionals for signs of diabetic retinopathy, a condition caused by high blood sugar levels damaging the small blood vessels in the eye.

The Bentley clinic was carefully planned following an audit of repeat non-attenders in the area. The team identified a high number of missed appointments among patients registered at four GP practices in the Bentley and Scawthorpe areas, all located within a short distance of Bentley Pavilion. These individuals – many of whom had not attended in several years, with some having missed more than 30 appointments – were personally invited to the clinic.

To support the effort, the team also worked with the local GP surgeries, sharing patient lists so that practices could use behavioural science techniques and trusted messaging from GPs to encourage attendance.

Jemima Beaumont, Failsafe and Engagement Lead for the programme, said: “We were really delighted by the response. Some patients hadn’t been screened in over 10 years, and many told us they were grateful we’d brought the service to them. Several had mobility issues, so having it right on their doorstep made all the difference.”

"We know that access, confidence and awareness all play a role in whether someone attends screening – and we’re trying to tackle those challenges head-on. Every person we saw at Bentley took a positive step for their long-term health, and we’re so grateful to them for attending and to everyone who helped make the event possible.”

The clinic was hosted in partnership with Boston and Co, who provided the space at Bentley Pavilion. It builds on targeted outreach earlier this year to improve screening uptake in underrepresented communities and forms part of wider work at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH) to improve access to care and reduce health inequalities - a key priority in the Trust’s upcoming organisational strategy.

Zara Jones, Deputy Chief Executive at DBTH, said: “This is exactly the kind of work we want to see more of. Services that come to people, meet them in the right way, and make a lasting difference. As we finalise our Healthier Together strategy, reducing health inequalities and improving access will be central strand of everything we do.”

Anyone with diabetes who is eligible for screening and has received a yellow invitation letter but couldn’t attend the Bentley event can still book an appointment by calling 01302 642596.

For more information on diabetic eye screening, visit: https://www.dbth.nhs.uk/diabetic-eye-screening/