Claire's story

Claire Higgins, a patient with complex health conditions and learning difficulties, has praised Newmedica for the adjustments they made to help her through her recent cataract surgery.

A well-known figure in her local community, Claire Higgins, has praised Newmedica for the adjustments they made to support her complex health conditions when visiting for cataract surgery.

To calm her nerves during treatment, Claire listened to her favourite song and held a doll throughout the short operation, while nurses also gently distracted her to keep her relaxed.

The experience spurred her on to convince her aunt to have the same surgery, before Claire then jetted off to Disneyland Paris to celebrate her newly restored sight.

Spending a great deal of time in hospital due to her complex health conditions, Claire is a keen advocate on health matters for people with learning difficulties, through her own experiences.

"I had the option to have my NHS-funded treatment done at hospital or at Newmedica. As I already spend a lot of time in hospital, I chose to attend Newmedica instead and it turned out to be the right decision for me."

Claire went on to detail how friendly everyone at Newmedica was, including consultant Qasim Mansoor, who carried out her cataract surgery.

“Everyone in the team was very friendly and patient and took the time to help to put me at ease by explaining exactly what to expect each step of the way. My consultant, Mr Mansoor was especially lovely and took the time to ask about my life"

Claire was pleasantly surprised by the short waiting times, having had two separate surgeries on one eye at a time.

“I was very surprised by the short waiting time. I had two separate surgeries on one eye at a time. Just a week after my first surgery, I received a letter confirming my next surgery date. Due to the time the team had spent with me to ensure I was comfortable, I was a lot less nervous during my second surgery. The team made adjustments for me which made the treatment a lot easier, the worst part was getting the drops in my eyes before surgery and having to wear an eye patch afterwards, but the surgery itself was fine."

Newmedica staff further supported Claire by allowing her to bring her lifelike doll, Helen, into surgery with her, with the staff even getting her a hat and wristband.

As well as holding Claire's hand during surgery, her friend Sharon who came with on the day was allowed to come into the theatre with her.

Claire went onto share how Newmedica were flexible around her other health conditions including type 1 diabetes.

“They were also very flexible around my other health conditions. I have type 1 diabetes and before my second surgery, my blood sugar was high. Rather than having to reschedule the appointment for another day when I had already mentally prepared myself for the surgery, the team told me to go away to have something to eat and take insulin and they were still able to do the surgery later that day when they were happier with my blood sugar levels."

Claire was delighted with the outcome of her surgery, stating how her vision has improved greatly. Now Claire only needs to wear glasses for reading.

Getting referred to Newmedica

If you think you have an eye condition, you should see your optician or GP for a detailed assessment. They’ll go through all the options available and tell you where you can have your treatment.

The referral process will differ slightly depending on whether you want to be an NHS or private patient. You’ll find all the information you need on our NHS and private patient pages.

Are you a health care professional?
Find out how to refer a patient.