News
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April 23rd 2009:
On the week of July 6th 2009 HEDRSCE will be moving to its new home in the impressive new MIDRU and Diabetes Centre building on the Heartlands Hospital site. Nestled in behind the current Diabetes Centre and HEDRSCE, the new building is close to completion and will provide superb facilities for patients, staff, visitors and trainees alike.
Click here for more information on MIDRU
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May 8th 2008:
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has developed during the last 15 years toward becoming a gold standard for evaluating the layered structure of the retina. The OCT is particularly useful when determining whether a patient has macular oedema as excess fluid can be detected on the scan. The OCT also gives a measurement of the thickness of the retina in microns.
As macular oedema is a 3D feature it is hard to detect whether it is present on 2D digital photographs used for screening. Photographic surrogate markers are
therefore used as indicators for clinically significant macular oedema (CSMO). These include circinate within 2 disc diameters (DD), exudate within 1DD or microaneurysm/haemorrhage within 1dd with VA <6/9. However, these surrogate markers have low specificity for macular oedema as only around 10% of patients referred to an ophthalmologist with these markers will have CSMO.
We now have a Zeis Stratus OCT in the screening room at the diabetes centre. When patients attend for screening they will have their eyes photographed as normal. Any patient's that have photographic surrogate markers for macular oedema will have an OCT to see if there is any thickening of the retina or whether CSMO is present. We are hoping the OCT will improve our service as it means patients will not get unnecessary appointments to the hospital eye service which will reduce patient anxiety and help lower costs.
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We are currently involved in a research study where we are using the OCT to improve specificity when screening patients for diabetic retinopathy, for more information see our research page |
Normal OCT scan showing the different layers of the retina
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April 23rd 2009:
In December 2009 Prof. Dodson led a team visiting the Black Lions Diabetes Centre, Addis Ababa. Included in the team was travel writer Alex Gladwell who spent time talking to doctors, nurses and patients. In this pamphlet, he has painted a clear picture of the needs, aims and challenges ahead for the LEOPARD Retinopathy Screening Project.
Click here to download pamphlet |
21st October 2008:
HEDRSCE Team is proud to announce the release of 'Diabetic Retinopathy', a new guide to Retinopathy Screening published by Oxford University Press, containing information on all key areas of digital diabetic screening and guidance on running a diabetic retinopathy screening service.
Diabetic Retinopathy costs £10. Proceeds will go to the LEOPARD project in Ethiopia. To order copies or make enquiries please contact Jane Pitt or Helen King at HEDRSCE.
For more information on 'Diabetic Retinopathy', including a rundown of its contents, please click here. |
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20th October 2008:
Over the last year we have been working closely with Warwick University to help set up a masters degree in Diabetic Retinopathy Screening. It will be running for the first time this academic year. Details of the MSc can be seen below. The course is aimed to develop the skills and knowledge required to achieve excellent care for people with diabetes.
2007: HEDRSCE officially twinned with Ethiopian centre
2007: Birmingham and Black Country Digital Diabetic Retinopathy Screening scheme rolls out
2006: HEDRSCE runner up of the Chairman's Award for Best Multidisciplinary Team
2006: Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust awarded Acute Healthcare of the Year
In 2005 , an exploratory visit was made by a visiting team to the Black Lions Diabetes Centre in Addis Ababa (click here for PDF). Diabetic Eye services were reviewed by Dr P.M.Dodson in both the Black Lions Diabetes Centre (with Dr R. Ahmed) and at the Menelik Eye Hospital (with Mr T. Teshome) and an action plan drawn up.
As a result of this visit and thanks to the support of Topcon and the Birmingham and Black Country Screening Programme, a digital camera has been sent to the Black Lions Centre to set up one of the first diabetic retinopathy screening programmes in Africa.
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Dr Ahmed Reja has since attended the retinopathy screening course where the officially union of the centres was confirmed (pictured left)
A team from HEDRSCE will be visiting the centre in July 2007 to provide staff training and set up the screening service in Addis Ababa.
If you wish to donate to this worthy cause please contact us at the Centre on : 0121 424 0954
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Birmingham and the Black Country digital Diabetic Retinopathy Screening scheme now has approximately 87,000 Diabetes Mellitus patients registered. The scheme is project managed from the Heart of England Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Centre of Excellence (HEDRSCE)
“HEDRSCE is unique in that it is not only a centre for clinical excellence in diabetic retinopathy screening, project managing the whole Birmingham and Black Country Screening Scheme, but also a centre for training and on-going research, to contribute to the understanding of diabetic retinopathy” Paul Dodson 2007 (Director of the Centre)
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Centre employees were congratulated in 2006 by being short-listed and coming runner up for the Chairman’s multidisciplinary team for the trust. This shows the dedication of the team, whose backgrounds cover many different areas of expertise, from consultant ophthalmologists to fine art graduates.
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HEART OF ENGLAND NHS FOUNDATION TRUST AWARDED ACUTE HEALTHCARE OF THE YEAR
In November 2006 the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust won best ‘Acute Healthcare of the Year’ award, with HEDRSCE being one area that the trust was judged by.
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