Patients waiting years for a 15-minute operation

A cataract patient waiting for more than four years for an operation has said she cannot read, watch television, cross the road alone or drive.

Elizabeth de Ferre, 70, from Jersey said she has had four operations scheduled and cancelled - the last two this summer were cancelled on the day - and she was "angry".

Figures show 653 patients had waited more than a year in the island for an operation despite 400 being sent to the UK between 2024 and 2025 to cut the waiting list.

Claire Thompson, the chief operating officer – Acute Services for Health and Care Jersey, said they were aware "some Islanders have waited too long" and they were recruiting more permanent clinical staff.

De Ferre also had macular degeneration so said her sight was "severely compromised" as well as her enjoyment of life.

She said she "was very angry as well as disappointed" as she was looking forward to seeing again.

"It's a simple 15-minute operation, and cheap… that would change the quality of my life completely."

The President of the Royal College of Opthalmologists, Mohamed Elalfy, said four years was an unacceptable time to wait for an operation.

Elalfy said he had not heard of anyone having to wait four years or more for cataract surgery in England even though there were long waiting lists in the UK.

"I would say once the patient feels that their life is affected, or the quality of what they do day-in day-out is affected, then they require cataract surgery… Four years is too long."

He added investment in spaces and staff, as well as performing surgery on both eyes at the same time, can all reduce waiting times.

Mo Le Var, 80, had been waiting since January 2025 for a procedure on his left eye while his right eye was operated on a couple of years ago without delay.

He said "It's a bit dire… It's about time they got themselves sorted out".

Thompson said: "We recognise that some Islanders have waited too long for cataract treatment and understand the impact this can have on their daily lives."

She said they were recruiting additional permanent clinical staff who specialise in cataract surgery as well as some more short-term staff.

"We have already seen a reduction in our outpatient waiting times which will continue as additional capacity is provided," she added.

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