South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust is asking people to give their views on proposals for an iconic new Eye Hospital which will be built as part of the City’s ambitious Riverside Sunderland masterplan.
The Trust is keen to hear from as many people as possible to ensure the new Eye Hospital provides the optimal experience for patients, staff and visitors.
Healthcare leaders have extended the period for people to comment on the plans for building a brand-new, fit-for-purpose Eye Hospital in Sunderland which were announced by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust in March.
An additional online public information event to gather views has been confirmed and is a chance to find out about the designs, give feedback and ask any questions about the plans for a new Eye Hospital in Sunderland.
The final online engagement event will be hosted by Eye Infirmary staff including a clinician and nurse who have been closely involved in shaping the designs for the new Eye Hospital so far.
The online public information event will take place via MS Teams (click here) tomorrow, Tuesday 11 May from 6.30pm – 7.30pm.
The additional event will take the total number of online public events during the engagement activity to nine in addition to other ways to feedback such as the online survey and focus groups being carried out by the Trust and local community and voluntary sector groups.
Work is also taking place with The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to ensure the new hospital design is built around the needs of those with sight impairments.
As part of the engagement activity, an additional focus group hosted in partnership with RNIB for those with sight loss will also take place on Thursday 13th May from 10am -11.15am.
The ‘Vision for a new Eye Hospital in Sunderland’, public engagement activity and online survey will close at midnight on Sunday 16 May.
Tina Morell, Project Manager for the new Eye Hospital, is encouraging people to get involved and said: “Staff at the Eye Infirmary are feeling excited at the prospect of a brand new hospital as there is no doubt that the current building is dated and no longer fit for purpose. We want to make sure that we have listened to the views of public as well as staff as we draw up the plans for the new building.
“We have been involving patients, staff, local charities and the wider public in the design process and overall feedback received from the public to date about the proposed new Eye Hospital has been very positive, but we want to ensure we can capture and consider all issues that matter most to the public before submitting a formal planning application.
“It is important to ensure patients and people from across the region have an opportunity to comment on the plans before the 16th May. This is why we are hosting an additional online event on 11th May between 6.30pm and 7.30pm as well as organising extra focus group sessions and extending the closing date for the survey to help ensure people can give us their views, ask any questions on the proposals and help refine plans for a new Eye Hospital.”
Sunderland Eye Infirmary is one of very few specialist standalone eye hospitals in the whole country and the region’s only dedicated centre for ophthalmology care as it continues to care for patients from across the North East, Cumbria and beyond.
All clinical services currently provided from Sunderland Eye Infirmary will transfer to the new state-of-the-art facility to be delivered from a new modern, purpose-built Hospital which has now been made possible thanks to partnership working with Sunderland City Council.
Healthcare leaders will use the feedback gathered over the last few months to help shape its plans for a new Eye Hospital before submitting a formal planning application at the end of May. The Trust hopes to start building work in 2022 (subject to planning approval) and is aiming for the new Eye Hospital to open in 2024.
You can join the online event or focus group by registering at www.stsft.nhs.uk/neweyehospital/get-involved or emailing stsft.SEI@nhs.net.
You can give your views by completing the online survey before midnight 16 May at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/stsftneweyehospital
You can also get take part and give your views over the phone by calling 0191 404 1284.
