Within the screening programme, we refer to the people we screen as participants rather than patients, because apart from having diabetes most people within our programme have good eye health.
Our screening service looks for signs of treatable diabetic retinopathy in people with diabetes across Wales. The aim of DESW is to reduce the risk of avoidable sight loss by the early detection and treatment, if needed. Taking part in screening is an active decision.
DESW has responsibility for providing diabetic eye screening to all individuals aged 12 years and over who have a diagnosis of diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes and impaired fasting glucose). The participant must be registered with a General Practitioner (GP)/Healthcare Setting within Wales.
Screening is performed by taking a photographic image of the back of each eye (retina), facilitated by the use of eyedrops to dilate the pupil (mydriasis). The images are then assessed by trained grading staff after the participant encounter. The interpretation of the image sets will determine the outcome (care pathway) of that screening episode.
For further information about DESW, please visit our pages on the Public Health Wales website.
There is also a dedicated DESW SharePoint section for NHS Wales staff with information about referrals, training and education resources, news and programme reports. You might need to request permission to access this.
Are you a community worker or health professional supporting ethnic minority communities? If so, our new resource ‘Working Together’ is for you.
Developed using feedback from communities across Wales, this practical guide includes examples of good practice, useful tips and resources all in one place – all with the aim of raising awareness of screening and supporting community engagement.
Let us know what you think of the resource, and your experiences of using it in practice. screening.engagement@wales.nhs.uk
We can all play a part to support access to screening, so please share with your colleagues and contacts.