We’re making some important changes to how health professionals register people for Diabetic RetinaScreen (DRS), Ireland’s national diabetic retinal screening programme. About two-thirds of all people on our register are registered by a health professional involved in their care.
This project will help to break down barriers so more people can benefit from free diabetic eye screening. These changes will make the registration process simpler, fairer and more efficient for people, and will help us deliver a more effective service.
Why we’re making this change
Up to now, when a health professional registered a person for Diabetic RetinaScreen, we wrote to that person inviting them to take part in the programme. Many people did not reply to this letter, which meant they missed out on their chance to be screened. This extra step has created an unnecessary barrier to screening.
Our Information Governance team confirmed that Diabetic RetinaScreen is covered by data protection law under GDPR Articles 6 and 9. This means the extra invite to take part is not needed.
What’s changing
We’ve redesigned the registration process so that the step inviting people to take part is removed. When people are registered by a health professional we offer them an eye screening appointment without delay.
People are still free to opt out or re-join the programme at any time.
What this means for you if you are newly registered
If you are newly registered by your GP or another health professional:
- we will no longer send you a letter asking you to take part
- we will send you a letter offering you an appointment for eye screening without delay.
What this means if you were registered before this change
If you were registered by a health professional and never replied to our letters inviting you to take part:
- we will no longer send you a letter asking you to take part
- we will send you a letter offering you an appointment for eye screening
- you are still free to opt out or re-join the programme at any time.
Benefits of the change
We are providing better access to screening by removing unnecessary steps. This means more people will get appointments and can choose screening. People will also receive their appointments quicker.
This will improve efficiency as our staff will spend less time on unnecessary administration and more time focusing on our screening participants.
Next steps
We’re communicating to all stakeholders to make sure people understand the change.