When we talk about the future of eye care, we often think about research labs, the latest equipment and brand-new treatments – which are absolutely key to progress. But breakthroughs are also about people. For Rare Disease Day, we sat down with Dr Karla Dias, who used to volunteer with Friends of Moorfields and is now a doctor at Moorfields’ hypotony clinic. We spoke about how kindness and innovation are connected at Moorfields, and what role equity plays in driving breakthroughs.
Listen to the full interview below, or click here for the written article.
Our chief executive Angela Smith caught up with Peter Ridley, chief executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. They discussed things such as the exciting opportunities for Moorfields within the NHS 10-year plan and the role he envisions for Friends in the future.
Our Chief Executive Officer Angela Smith sat down to talk with Louisa Wickham, medical director for Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. They chatted about her career, her role at Moorfields and her perspective on how the Friends of Moorfields can support the Trust.
Our chief executive Angela Smith sat down to talk with Victoria Moore, associate director for excellence delivery at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. They spoke about her career, her role at Moorfields and her perspective on how the Friends of Moorfields can support the Trust.
Watch and share this very special film which pays tribute to colleagues past, present and future, whose care to patients and others goes beyond the call of duty. And to all of Friends members and volunteers!
Moorfields Chief Executive David Probert talks about an exciting new project managed by Friends of Moorfields, and funded by Helpforce.
We will be putting volunteers in the operating theatres to hold the hand of patients who may be feeling anxious about having a procedure under local anaesthetic.
Tracy Luckett, Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professions
Spoke to Angela Smith, Friends Executive Manager about the role of nurses at Moorfields and how they work with volunteers to provide essential patient care.
“There are over five hundred registered nurses working at Moorfields, and then there are approximately two hundred support nurses, healthcare assistants and technicians who play a really important role. So nurses are the largest workforce within the Trust.”
Click on the arrow to listen to more:
Declan Flanagan was
appointed Medical Director at Moorfields in 2010, and since then the
trust has practically doubled in size: in terms of numbers of patients
seen, numbers of operations done; amount of research done and in terms
of money spent on behalf of patients.
Declan recently stood down after 8 years in post, and he spoke to
Angela Smith about some of the best, and also some of the more
challenging aspects of his role.
“I think the most important thing for me is being able to make a
difference. What we can offer patients in ophthalmology has extended
enormously in the past 20 years and I have had a big role in making sure
that patients get access to new treatments. “
Click on the arrow to listen to the interview:
Frank Larkin came to Moorfields as a
Senior Trainee in 1990 and has worked here ever since. He became a
Consultant in 1997. He is one of the three consultants who deal with
cornea problems in children, and his clinic is in the Richard Desmond
Children’s Eye Centre.
Here Mr Larkin talks to Angela Smith about different things that can
affect the cornea for both children and adults, and explains how the
Pentacam Friends recently purchased will help with diagnosis and
treatment:
“The cornea is the curved and transparent ‘window’ structure at the
front of the eye. So we don’t actually see the cornea when we look at
the eye of a patient – we see through it, at the black pupil and the
coloured iris. When the cornea, in disease, loses its transparency this
causes problems with vision in that eye for the patient.”
Click on the arrow to listen to the interview:
Jo Moss is the Director of Strategy and Business Development at Moorfields.
“Our core belief is ‘People’s Sight Matters’ We want to have an emphasis on why we all come to work, why we all care. It was really clear from talking to patients and talking to staff that it is an understanding that people’s sight is really important and that is the thing that we need to hold central to everything we do no matter where we are working, which of our networked sites or what our job role is, whether that be delivering front line services, or in our finance department – that people’s sight matters should be the golden thread that carries through.”
Here Jo tells Angela Smith about the process they went through to refresh the strategy and ways Friends can help with the delivery.
David Probert has been Chief Executive of Moorfields for just over a year now.
“Coming to Moorfields really has been everything I hoped it would be – it has been a great place to work with some great people”
Here David tells Angela Smith about his three highlights for the
year; his biggest challenge; and says how he sees Friends supporting
him in the future.
Click on the arrow to listen to more:
Mr Nick Strouthidis, Medical Director (and former Glaucoma Service Director) at Moorfields came to the Friends office to talk to Angela Smith about glaucoma, and to thank Friends for all their support.
“Glaucoma is a condition where the optic nerve, the structure that
takes vision from the eye to the brain, can get damaged over time. This
damage is irreversible and can lead to progressive loss of vision.
Although you do not have to have high pressure in the eye to have
glaucoma, one of the main risk factors is elevated pressure. The
treatment for glaucoma, to stop this optic nerve damage, is to lower the
pressure. This is usually controlled by taking eye drops regularly, but
it can also be treated with laser or by surgery.”
Listen to their full conversation by clicking the arrow here:
