ONE in ten eye patients in Swindon is waiting more than four months for treatment.

The long hospital delays have been criticised by one leading health representative as unacceptable.

The governing body of Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group, the NHS organisation charged with paying for the town’s healthcare needs, heard of growing problems in Great Western Hospital’s ophthalmology department.

The team is charged with treating problems connected to the eyes, including treating glaucoma patients and operating on cataracts.

A report shared by the Swindon CCG said that there had been significant deterioration between months.

The service had been hit with an increase in referrals from GPs and other departments. This was coupled with a reduction in the department’s activity in August and September due to consultant leave, the report said.

In September more than 15 per cent of patients had spent at least 18 weeks waiting for treatment after being referred to the service.

In 2014 a decision was made to refer new eye patients elsewhere – with GWH treating only existing and emergency patients.

The hospital re-opened referrals in January the following year, after pouring a £1.6m investment into the ophthalmology team.

Ian James, a lay member of the CCG’s board, told Thursday’s meeting: “We’ve had a situation for many months where ophthalmology has not been improving.

“We took it away from the hospital, then we gave it back because they assured us they’d got their act together. Now, there’s been significant deterioration and I don’t think that’s acceptable.”

Swindon CCG chief operating officer Paul Vater said that they had spoken to GWH about the problems.

“I think they as an organisation recognise that this has been a bit exasperating and I can only say that it is quite high up on their own executives’ agenda,” he said.

Nicki Millin, the CCG accountable officer, said: “Ophthalmology is one I know that Nerissa Vaughan, the GWH chief executive, is concerned about as well.

“I share your frustration in that there are patients who need to travel outside Swindon to access services and we’re trying to avoid that.”

Paul Vater said that a NHS improvement team, called Getting It Right First Time, had visited the GWH ophthalmology team.

“They are working with the trust to improve productivity, to do more cataracts during clinical sessions,” he said.

“There is more to do on ophthalmology and demand on service is increasing.”

A spokesman for Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Although the majority of ophthalmology patients at the Great Western Hospital are seen within the 18-week target, some have unfortunately had to wait longer than we would like.

“But, while we always strive to see people as quickly as possible, our top priority will always be to continue providing safe, high-quality care to those patients who need it most.

“Plans are now in place to help reduce the backlog of patients and new measures, such as the introduction of a new clinical lead, are supporting our teams to do this.”