An 84-year-old retired nurse took matters into her own hands and removed a cyst from her own eye after waiting years for treatment, a report has revealed.
The incident was shared during a meeting of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board on Thursday, which discussed the ongoing delays patients in north Wales face while waiting for medical care.
The report found that some patients, frustrated by long waits, had resorted to self-treatment. One individual even performed their own tooth filling using a kit bought from a chemist.
The health board acknowledged the issue, noting that “significant work” was still needed to address the challenges facing the NHS in a “sustainable, long-term way.”
Long Waits for Essential Treatment
The woman, who is still waiting for eye surgery, had been on the ophthalmology waiting list since 2019. After waiting three years to be seen, she underwent some procedures, but they were not effective. As her eyesight deteriorated rapidly, she felt compelled to carry out the risky procedure herself.
“She is waiting for an eye operation, which was requested in October 2023,” the report stated. “As a former nurse and nurse manager, she has dedicated her life to caring for others. Now she is in need of care herself.”
Emergency Department Struggles
The report also highlighted long wait times in emergency departments at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Ysbyty Wrexham Maelor, and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd hospitals. Patients were reportedly waiting up to 36 hours, with overcrowding and discomfort adding to their frustration.
A public consultation was conducted as part of a “listening and understanding” initiative aimed at improving healthcare delivery. The initiative received 300 enquiries from MPs and MSs, with waiting times being the main concern.
Dental and Specialist Care Shortages
One notable case involved a man who wanted to join the Army but was unable to do so because of dental health issues. The report revealed that he could not find an NHS dentist due to a “chronic shortage” of dental professionals in north Wales. Private dentists quoted a minimum of £3,000 for treatment.
The report also mentioned issues with access to services, including long waits for outpatient care, delays in ambulance and emergency department response times, and communication problems. Some patients described the impact of these delays as “catastrophic,” including one individual suffering from daily pain and another awaiting an operation for bladder stones, enduring “continual bleeding.”
Challenges in Primary and Dental Care
Llais, the organization that represents patient voices, gathered data showing that many individuals faced “significant challenges” in accessing timely and affordable primary care. This included difficulties in securing GP appointments and the loss of NHS dental services.
Some patients resorted to self-managing dental issues in unsafe or distressing ways, such as filling their own teeth with a kit from the chemist. Another patient reported waiting “12 hours on a trolley” in a hospital corridor.
A Call for Improvements
Specialist services, such as audiology, cataract surgery, neuro-developmental assessments, and respiratory care, were also flagged as major concerns due to long wait times.
Despite widespread dissatisfaction and frustration, the report noted that many participants also expressed gratitude for the “professionalism and compassion” shown by hospital staff.
Actions for Improvement
The health board reported steps being taken to address the issues raised in the report. In dental care, a £1.5 million contract has been created to expand NHS dental services, and a new dental access portal launched in February has been helping to streamline access to care.
Further procurement efforts, totaling more than £5 million, are underway to improve general dental services, orthodontics, oral surgery, and non-urgent dental care.
Other improvements have been made in emergency departments, dermatology, gynaecology, physiotherapy, musculoskeletal care, cancer services, and even a bereavement suite in the midwifery ward.
In neuro-developmental services, a child and adolescent mental health improvement program has been introduced to provide better mental health support for children and young people.
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