Ophthalmology (eye care) patients across the region are set to benefit from a state-of-the-art patient record system thanks to a generous donation of £30,000 from the Maidstone Hospital League of Friends.

The new technology, called OpenEyes, will allow healthcare professionals to update and refer to patient records in real time, keeping their case history in one place and even alerting their local optician about their eye treatment.

Under the leadership of Consultant Ophthalmologist and Clinical Director for Ophthalmology at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW), Dr Luke Membrey, the ultimate aim is to use the new system to seamlessly connect hospital trusts and other services across the region – including Diabetic eye screening, GPs and local optometry providers – giving healthcare professionals access to up to date information at every stage of the patient’s journey.

Dr Membrey said: “This system shows what can be achieved when clinical and IT teams work closely together. Images and scans can be compared over time with just a few clicks, and charts highlight changes in treatment. As users of the system we can play an active role in its future design which is the really important part, as it means we can tailor it to suit the needs of the communities and patients we care for.”

“With an ageing population and an increase in people who need treatment for their eyes in the region, this new system is a really important step forward. On behalf of the Department and the Trust, I would like to say a huge thank you to the League of Friends for their generosity.”

The Ophthalmology department at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is the largest specialised eye unit in the south east, serving a total population of over 1 million. Patients come from a wide area of Kent, Medway and East Sussex for both routine and emergency treatment. The Department is also committed to teaching, training and research, and is the major training unit in the region, helping develop the next generation of specialist ophthalmology doctors.

The new Kent Ophthalmic Record, as it will be known, will ensure that specialist doctors and other healthcare professionals across the region will always have access to the most up to date information about a patient, helping speed up processes, reduce waiting times and giving healthcare professionals more time to care for patients.

Gareth Owen, Chair of the Maidstone Hospital League of Friends, said: “The League of Friends are very proud to be associated with such a ground-breaking venture and to be involved with the first project of its kind in the NHS; it is what we were set up for and what gets us out of bed in the morning.”