The West of England Eye Unit has marked 18 years of its pioneering nurse-led intravitreal injection service.

In 2008, it became the first eye unit in the UK to enable a wider range of colleagues to administer these injections. Under the supervision of Consultant Ophthalmologist Mr Peter Simcock, the first injection was delivered by Brian Kingett, Senior Nurse Practitioner, delivering a more efficient approach to providing sight-saving treatment.

Initially, Mr Simcock and his team faced resistance from regulatory bodies, pharmaceutical companies, and some consultants who were cautious about this new model of service delivery. However, with patient numbers rising and a shortage of qualified ophthalmologists, a nurse-led approach was clearly needed to ensure timely treatment.

An audit of the first 3,000 injections performed in this way in Exeter presented by Mr Simcock at the World Congress of Eye Hospitals in 2011 demonstrated the safety and efficacy of this innovative service model, leading to widespread adoption across the UK.

Today, nearly all eye units in the UK rely on non-medical practitioners to manage their intravitreal injection workload, a testament to the ground-breaking work started in Exeter.

To honour his contribution, Mr Simcock was recently surprised with a celebration by the West of England Eye Unit team on the service’s 18^th anniversary. The event was made even more special by the presence of Brian Kingett, who delivered that first injection, bringing together two key figures in this transformative journey.

In recognition of his lasting impact, an injection room was officially named after Mr Simcock.

Mr Simcock said of the milestone: “I feel very honoured to have been part of the important and innovative change to the intravitreal injection service.

“The dedication and vision demonstrated by the team at the West of England Eye Unit was and continues to be inspiring and their efforts have had a positive impact on our patients. Thank you to everyone involved.”

Peter Simcock and Brian Kingett