Hundreds of diabetic patients will need to have their eyes screened again after the NHS lost track of their exam records.

NHS Sutton and Merton and Epsom and St Helier Trust lost record of 750 patients who were referred by their GPs for diabetic retinopathy screening and is now calling them for a review, in a move which will cost £27,000.

Patients are being contacted by letter for new appointments which will take place in the next two months because they may still need hospital treatment.

As a result of the blunder, the trust had its retinal screening programme for people with diabetes temporarily suspended by the National Screening Programme for Diabetic Retinopathy.

The remaining 14,250 diabetes patients who use the service will also receive a letter explaining the situation and re-scheduling their next screenings for when the service is running again, early next year.

Dr Jonathan Kwan, Medical Director at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trusts commented: “An advice line has been set up for these patients who are part of the diabetic retinopathy screening programme in Sutton and Merton in case they have any further questions.

"The delay to diabetic retinopathy screening does not affect other local services – including the eye services at Sutton, Kingston and St George’s Hospitals, and Moorfields Eye Hospital.”

Dr Martyn Wake, local GP and Joint Medical Director for NHS Sutton and Merton, said: “We are working with the national screening programme for diabetic retinopathy to make sure that local people with diabetes get the best treatment for retinopathy, both now and in the future.

"We have written to all patients to keep them informed and apologise for any delays to the service as a result of the work we are doing."

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