Moorfields Eye Hospital

[Steven Williams]

As a KC sufferer who has hit a key critical stage in the progression of my KC I've continued to follow the content here.

I've got over the hurt and pain of being banned from this site.......so I'm eating humble pie and I'm back.

Maybe one day I will be reinstated access to the pm system? That ban still remains so I still feel isolated.

I am prompted to contribute again by my concern at coming across the following press article which I have not seen referred to yet on the forum.

Moorfields Press Article

Should we be concerned by this development? is it good or bad news?

[Michael P]

Steve.

Welcome back. I do mean that and hope that we can now all be friends.

Your link doesn't appear to work, at least not on my computer so if you are able to post another link, please do,

[jayuk]

Steve

I hope you can contribute and share the knowledge off here...which can only help

One thing, that address you have posted is incorrect...as it has a loopback address....which would imply you broswsed or saved it locally on your machine...any chance you can find it off the web and repost?

J

[Pat A]

Steve
I may be totally wrong, but does your link refer to a proposal to set up a branch of Moorfields in Dubai? The following link might just help?

Moorfields Dubai Branch

[GarethB]

Hi Steven,

I have tried searching the Moorfields site for the URL you posted to ensure I could put the correct link in to no avail.

Unfortunatly you do not say what the subject of the press release is, so here is a link to

Moorfileds Media Releases

Where the most recent one is on the subject Pat put a link too.

I am all for hospitals getting more income if it is for the benefit of those of us who can not go private. My only question is where there is such a defecit within Moorfileds and they hope to break even by year end. No money has been borrowed to pay for the Dubai branch so where did the money come from?

[samba_elite]

I've nwo been waiting for a moorfields appointment for a year,so they can shove their hospital up their a**e,i'd be better off in a hole in the ground

[Sweet]

Samba,

Sadly we all do feel like this at times as well. I waited a year and a half to get an appointment at Moorfields when in an ideal world when i moved from Wales my consultant would have been allowed to refer me directly and not go through my GP.

Hoping that you do get an appointment really soon, though i know how frustrated you feel at the minute.

Take care, Sweet X x X

[Steven Williams]

Jayuk states:-

I hope you can contribute and share the knowledge off here...which can only help

Its always been my intention and objective throughout my life to do so and be truthful and honest.

I am not a religious person but I believe that mans first religion on this planet was to help each other survive and evolve.

One thing, that address you have posted is incorrect...as it has a loopback address....which would imply you broswsed or saved it locally on your machine...any chance you can find it off the web and repost?

Dooh! Your diagnosis is spot on Jayuk. IMO you are a highly intelligent individual and make a huge contribution to this website. I have great respect for that as well as your input on the banned thread I started about 911 truth in the chit chat section.

Thanx Pat ...yes that link is the article I posted which was published in The Daily Mail.

I've copied and pasted it here so its in large print to enable all to read if they so wish:-

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=428655&in_page_id=1770

Britain's top NHS eye hospital is setting up a private branch in Dubai in order to pay off its £13million debts.
In the first development of its kind, Moorfields is tempting staff, including top consultants, to the new clinic by offering them lucrative packages to abandon their UK posts.
Critics say other hospitals will be forced to follow suit as they struggle with an NHS deficit totalling £547million.
Founded in 1804, Moorfields, on the edge of the City of London, is the world's oldest hospital specialising in ophthalmic treatment, teaching and research. It carries out more than 23,000 operations annually and is currently paying off its NHS debts at the rate of £300,000 a year.
The new branch 3,500 miles away will be based at the Dubai Healthcare City development, part of the Tatweer company - a subsidiary of Dubai Holding - which is owned by the country's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the world's fifth richest man with a personal fortune estimated at £9billion. He has recently been linked with a takeover of Liverpool FC.
The hospital has borrowed £6million from a bank to fund the scheme, which will be known as Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai. Under the deal the hospital will lease the building from Tatweer but meet all operational costs.
A total of 32 staff, including three consultant surgeons, will welcome their first patients at the beginning of May. Four employees from the London hospital have already accepted the packages and will move out to the Middle East before the spring.
Labour MP Jon Trickett described the move as 'a long way from what the Labour Party wants'. He said: "If there are assets through which hospitals can release money in the NHS, that money should be used to treat the British people. It's perverted logic to do what they are doing and an outrage that this is being allowed to happen.
"The taxpayer expects his or her money to fund the NHS and people will be alarmed to hear that money in the hands of an NHS hospital is being sent abroad."
Chris Canning, chief executive of the new Dubai clinic, admitted that the simple motivation behind the scheme was to make money but he insisted: "That money will go straight back to Moorfields in London."
Mr Canning said Dubai had been selected because of the large number of wealthy Arabs already seeking eye treatment at Moorfields in London.
Responding to criticisms that resources including staff were being diverted away from Britain, Mr Canning insisted that only a small number of NHS staff would be moving to Dubai.
He added: "There is in fact a substantial over-supply at the moment of eye surgeons and doctors. It might at other times be a valid concern but not at present because there are a lot of people who can't find jobs."
Moorfields has been able to set up the new hospital after being granted Foundation Trust status two years ago. This allows it to decide how best to spend its money and to borrow money to improve patient services. Crucially it can raise capital from both the public and private sectors within borrowing limits.
The hospital's chairman, Sir Thomas Boyd-Carpenter, admitted that a recent pay restructuring had hit them hard. In the hospital's most recent accounts he wrote: "This has not been an easy year for Moorfields. We have made a surplus but this is lower than planned and has required careful management.
"We rightly predicted that we would treat more patients than our commissioners had contracted for but the pay restructuring cost more than we expected."

Add your comment | View all Reader comments (9)
9 people have commented on this story so far. Tell us what you think below.

Here's a sample of the latest comments published. You can click view all to read all comments that readers have sent in.
The cash strapped NHS borrow money and move abroad to pay their debts, whilst Blair and the labour party vote themselves a million pound a year pension? Where is this for the good of the country, people or taxpayer?

- P Ronald, Cardiff Wales
Well this is just the start of it all, why not just sell the Country to the highest bidder. Thank you so much NU Labour for dragging this Country down to this.

- Jacqui Weems, Southampton
Of course, if the patients in Dubai can't afford the treatment, they could always be referred to the London branch, where the treatment is a lot cheaper.

- Peterh, Sittingbourne UK

Samba-elite sorry to hear the news but thanx for notifying us. Sadly that reflects the situation 23 years ago when I was diagnosed with KC whilst at Uni! I was lucky I begged and pleaded for help and support as I was half way through my final year! so they allowed me to jump the queue.

There are ways and means.The other option is to arrange a private consultation, likely to cost over £200 if they do digital imaging with a keractomer, then go on the NHS system.


I am surprised that this issue has not been raised.

To reiterate my question on this thread:-

Should we be concerned by this development? is it good or bad news?

[mike]

Is there also a long wait for an appointment at Moorfields for private treatment or just for NHS?

[jayuk]

Mike : No...should get seen in around 5 days depending on who you go with