The pathway is expected to free up substantial nursing and clinical capacity and refocus work on other eyecare subspecialties.
NHS England South East has procured an automated cataract care pathway to modernise and standardise the cataract pathway. It has been jointly funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England South East region.
The AI-enabled solution replaces multiple pre- and postoperative outpatient appointments with clinically validated digital conversations. It supports referral triage, patient choice, reminders, waiting list validation and postoperative follow-up. It will also report on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).
The system is designed to flag and escalate any concerns to clinicians promptly. By standardising care pathways across the region, it is hoped that the service will ensure that capacity across the NHS and independent sector is used effectively to improve timely access to cataract care.
“By modernising and standardising the cataract pathway, we can reduce avoidable delays and improve the clarity and convenience of care for thousands of people each year,” said Anne Eden, South East regional director at NHS England.
Fewer unnecessary appointments
For patients, it is hoped that the new system will mean fewer unnecessary appointments, with more checks completed remotely where it is safe to do so. It will also support patients to make informed choices about where to receive care, considering factors such as waiting times and travel distance.
Postoperative follow-up is supported by automated check-ups for routine cases, with rapid escalation to the clinical team if symptoms suggest any problems or concerns.
NHS England South East has said that early implementation has demonstrated reduced waiting times, fewer cancellations, and the release of tens of thousands of follow-up appointments each year.
The pathway is expected to free up substantial nursing and clinical capacity and refocus work on other eyecare subspecialties, improve patient experience, and support sustainable delivery of cataract care across the region.
