14/10/2024
Changes to the NHS Community Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES) -
Many of you will have used our NHS ‘CUES’ service for urgent eye problems, if you are registered with a GP in the Leeds (including Wetherby) area.
We think is important to make you aware that access to the ‘CUES’ service has been altered in recent weeks.
In the past, a patient and/or local resident presenting with a new urgent problem was either referred by the local GP practices directly to our practice, or self-referred, and was triaged by one of our Optometrists to determine how quickly you needed to be seen, or managed with a phone consultation.
Now urgent NHS eyecare referrals for 'CUES' must now enter the service via a Single Point of Access (SPoA) for triage by a central office at Primary Eyecare Services (PES) Ltd – by phoning 0300 303 4922. PES will then offer an initial triage prior to any face-to-face examination with us or any other participating practice.
We would like to make very clear that this decision has nothing to do with Appleson Optometrists.
We are aware that some local residents have expressed their frustration in social media about the difficulties that this new system appears to be causing to access the required care. Please be assured we are committed to provide care to both NHS and private patients in the Wetherby area (unlike other practices that provide only private care) but we are obliged to follow the new protocol if we would like to continue providing care to NHS patients.
For those who are not eligible for ‘CUES’ (e.g. outside area) or prefer a private service, we would like to inform you that we also run a private Eye Care Plan that provides ophthalmic care for a very affordable fee (£7.99/month).
Many thanks,
The team at Appleson Optometrists
