Carol praises cataract surgery at SpaMedica Wakefield and celebrates becoming the hospital’s 20,000th patient

A Wakefield resident is celebrating following ‘amazing’ NHS cataract surgery at SpaMedica on Silkwood Park, Ossett – and discovered she is the 20,000th patient to have received the treatment at the hospital since it opened in 2016.

Carol Eastwood, aged 75, learned she was the landmark patient when she visited the hospital recently for NHS treatment on her right eye, just two weeks after being referred by her optician. She’d previously had the same procedure at SpaMedica on her left eye, and this time requested a referral to the same hospital after being impressed by the service during her first visit.

Local NHS patients like Carol are generally offered appointments at SpaMedica Wakefield in just two to four weeks, compared to a national target of 18 weeks.

Carol said: “I couldn’t believe how quickly I was treated after seeing my optician, it’s amazing. I was offered SpaMedica for my first eye and then asked to be referred here again because I was so pleased with the service.

“My eyes weren’t very good. I kept having to get my glasses replaced, but still couldn’t see clearly enough, so my optician advised me to have the procedure.

“Everyone at the hospital was so helpful and it’s been a lovely, comfortable experience. I’d definitely tell anyone who needs cataract surgery not to worry about it. I’d rather come to SpaMedica to get my eyes treated than go to the dentist any day!”

SpaMedica in Wakefield was one of the first hospitals opened by the company, which recently celebrated another significant milestone: its 15-year anniversary. The UK’s leading provider of NHS cataract surgery has since expanded to 49 sites across the country, and its hospitals have some of the lowest complication rates nationally, with procedures carried out by highly experienced consultant surgeons.

To date, 32 SpaMedica hospitals have been inspected by industry regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC).12 of these hospitals (including SpaMedica Wakefield) have received an ‘Outstanding’ rating, with 20 achieving a ‘Good’ rating.

Hospital manager at SpaMedica Wakefield, Christine Leadbeater, said: “It was fantastic to welcome Carol and celebrate with her as our 20,000th cataract patient. Of course, Carol is much more than a number, and we’re thrilled to hear she chose to return to us for her second surgery after being impressed by the service she received.

“We treat our patients like family, and it’s always lovely to hear positive feedback as a result of the hard work of our team; each staff member is truly passionate about delivering the highest quality care, ensuring every patient has a welcoming, comfortable experience with us and that their independence is restored.

“We thank Carol for helping us reach this milestone and look forward to continuing our delivery of excellent care – within much shorter than average timeframes – for local residents.”