"A credit to your profession"

In a time when the N. H. S. is being criticised I should like to put the record straight.

I attended my Optician for a routine yearly Eye Examination, during the examination the optician dilated my pupil with eye drops and on examining the eye found what she felt could be a detached retina.

As I had my left eye removed due to a tumour in 1979 this was not good news, however my optician immediately wrote a letter explaining her findings and contacted the Emergency eye clinic at the Rotary Suite of The William Harvey Hospital In Ashford Kent. The Clinic booked me an appointment at 3. 20pm on the same afternoon.

I very much doubt if one would receive an appointment this quickly using Private Health Care.

On arriving at The Emergency Eye Clinic I was greeted by a very friendly receptionist who after taking my details asked me to take a seat in the waiting area.

I did not expect to be seen on time as there were a number of other patients waiting for treatment and I was just grateful to have been given an emergency appointment.

However I was seen within 40 minutes of my appointment time by a very pleasant doctor who after taking down my relevant details examined my eye and then used drops to dilate the pupil. I was then directed back to the waiting area for this to take effect.

Within 15 minutes I was called by a Mr Schultz the Ophthalmic Consultant and taken to a treatment room where he thoroughly examined my eye and to my great relief explained that there was no sign of a detached retina and therefore no treatment required,

I should just like to thank all the staff that were involved with my treatment, you are a credit to your profession and the N. H. S.