National Honour for Sunderland Eye Infirmary

The Research Team at Sunderland Eye Infirmary was given special recognition at the national Ophthalmology Honours in London last night and presented with the Judges’ Special Award.

The Team was shortlisted for the Best Ophthalmology Team, but received the special honour as the judges deemed it to be a ‘superb initiative’ and felt it ‘important to recognise the research element of this entry, and the service improvement that has been achieved’.

Research Nurse, Steve Dodds was also Highly Commended in the Outstanding Ophthalmology Nurse or Allied Health Professional category. The judges commented that he was a ‘very proactive and successful individual who is clearly dedicated to his role’.

The Ophthalmology Honours are designed to recognise and celebrate the outstanding work being carried out across the UK, identifying exceptional initiatives and demonstrating clinical excellence.

Sunderland Eye Infirmary is the only dedicated eye hospital in the region and part of City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust. It provides eye services to approximately 800,000 people from Sunderland and the surrounding areas.

Over the last eight years the Infirmary has been developing clinical research and embedding it throughout the hospital so it becomes a routine part of clinical care. It is now nationally recognised as a centre for research excellence.

The team were nominated for the pivotal role they have played in increasing the number of clinical trials and dedicated research slots in routine clinics. They were also recognised for the work they have to done to increase the amount of consultants and community Optometrists engaged in research.

Steve, who has been an Ophthalmology Nurse for over 15 years, was put forward for the role by a colleague who credits him with instrumental in helping develop the research unit into one of the largest ophthalmology clinical trials unit in the UK with over 20 active trials currently in progress.

The Awards were presented during a ceremony at BMA House in London on Wednesday 6 December and were independently judged by a panel of national experts in ophthalmology care.

Tina Morrell, Directorate Manager at Sunderland Eye Infirmary, said: “Congratulations to the Team and to Steve for their unwavering dedication to developing research and innovation at the Eye Infirmary. This recognition is testament to the fantastic impact that our research is having on improving patient care now and in the future. As one of the UK’s leading eye hospitals it’s vital that we are at the forefront of research and innovation and Steve and the Research Team are making amazing strides to embed research into everything we do and continue to position us as a centre for excellence.”