Updated 4 October 2021
SOUTH EAST EYE SURGEONS LLP is a consultant-led partnership of ophthalmic specialists, who all have substantive posts with a local NHS trust but provide private services through the limited liability partnership (LLP). An LLP is a business arrangement commonly used in professional practice, in which each owner (partner) is not legally responsible for another’s misconduct or negligence.
The regulated activities were managed and delivered at one NHS hospital and delivered at another NHS hospital, these will be referred to as host hospitals throughout this report. In addition, consultations and diagnostics were also delivered at four other locations. Outpatient consultations were provided as part of the assessment before and after ophthalmic surgery. These consultations did not form part of this inspection and are not represented in this report.
The service provided elective ophthalmic services to private patients aged 18 and over, who had been referred by their optometrist or had self-referred with visual problems. The only procedure performed was intra-ocular surgery to remove cataracts and replace them with implanted plastic lenses, usually under local anaesthesia.
The service primarily served the communities of East Sussex and the surrounding areas. It also accepted patients’ referrals from outside this area.
The service comprised eight ophthalmic specialists.
The registered manager and nominated individual was Mr Sharam Mehdi Zadeh Kashani, who had acted as the LLP lead since 2017.
Once accepted for surgery, patients were seen and managed using the same protocols, procedures and documentation as the host hospitals. They were treated at the end of the host hospital theatre list, which was usually conducted at the eye day case unit in the host hospital. Under a service level agreement with SOUTH EAST EYE SURGEONS LLP, the host hospital provided all the facilities and support staff required as well as prescribed medication and medical devices such as intra-ocular replacement lenses.
In addition to the service agreements with the host trust, the LLP had contracted with a medical business management company to facilitate some aspects of the service such as governance processes and policy documents.
The host hospital facilities included operating theatres, consultation rooms and diagnostic facilities.
These aspects are not included in this report because the host hospitals are a separate registered provider.
Services provided to SOUTH EAST EYE SURGEONS LLP under service level agreement:
Patient documentation and computerised record facilities.
Ophthalmic theatre services including nursing, medical and ancillary staff, medication and medical devices.
Clinical (including sharps) and non-clinical waste removal.
Catering and laundry services.
Maintenance of facilities and medical equipment, including business continuity provisions.
SOUTH EAST EYE SURGEONS LLP is registered with the CQC to provide the following regulated activities:
Diagnostic and screening procedures.
Surgical procedures.
Treatment of disease, disorder or injury