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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Julia Kollewe

Eye doctors say private cataract operations have hurt the NHS

A patient undergoing laser eye surgery.
A patient undergoing laser eye surgery. About 54% of ophthalmologists say private care has had a big negative effect on the NHS. Photograph: Science Photo Library/Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF

The vast majority of eye doctors believe increased outsourcing of cataract operations to private clinics in England in recent years has negatively affected their NHS departments, research has found.

Almost three-quarters of ophthalmologists surveyed said that outsourcing of cataracts to the private sector had a negative impact on their NHS eye care departments, with 54% flagging a large negative impact and 16% a small one.

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