Birmingham, Solihull and Black Country Diabetic Eye Screening Programme

21/08/2025

👁️💻 Diabetic Eye Screening Matters – But What If You Can’t Get Online? 📵📅
We know how important diabetic eye screening is for protecting sight. But not everyone has easy access to the internet, smartphones, or email. 😔
📍 If someone you know is living with diabetes and struggling to book or manage appointments due to digital barriers, we’re here to help. Whether it’s booking by phone, getting reminders by post, or finding local support – we’ll work with patients to make screening more accessible for them.
📞 Speak to our Team for more assistance: 0121 661 2220

13/08/2025

👁️💙 Diabetic Eye Screening – Supporting Patients with Addictions
We know that living with addiction can make attending appointments more difficult. That’s why our team is here to offer compassionate, flexible support to help every patient access sight-saving screening.
📅 Missed an appointment? No problem.
📞 Need help rebooking? We’re here for you.
Contact us:
☎️ 0121 661 2220
📧 enquiries.bsbcdesp@nhs.net
🌐 bsbcdesp.co.uk
You are not alone. Support is available. In addition to speaking to your GP, some important local addiction services include:
🔗 https://www.bsmhft.nhs.uk/our-services/addictions-services/ - Birmingham and Solihull addiction services
🔗 https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/ - NHS addiction support links
🔗 https://recovery.com/ – Top UK Rehab Centres
🔗 https://www.ukat.co.uk/ – Addiction Helpline & Clinics
Let’s keep care inclusive, stigma-free, and accessible to all. 💪

Addiction services provide a range of services to people with addictions that aim to prevent and treat substance misuse and improve community safety.

06/08/2025

📺 🎥✨ Diabetes UK has developed a dedicated series of YouTube playlists in South Asian languages to support non-English speaking communities living with diabetes. These videos explain why eye screening is so important — watch and share with your family and community. Available languages include:
🔸 Gujurati (જોર્જિયન): youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQDlTVSOXD9EuSVvIqSOQfx_1JZVGex-a
🔸 Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ): youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQDlTVSOXD9EyF_fIIIfb7Di6aciFQOoS
🔸 Urdu (اردو): youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQDlTVSOXD9EysX6a1cOjD44J6V5sel5X
🔸 Sylheti: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wII4gnX3av0&list=PLQDlTVSOXD9E72XpbkHsWLtNDUiOUSYQ4

Watch and listen to our three short videos with Punjabi voiceover. What is diabetes? What is type 1 diabetes and What is type 2 diabetes. We also have a vide...

31/07/2025

👁️✨ Got your diabetic eye screening appointment coming up? Don’t forget: the eye drops used can blur your vision for up to 6 hours, so please do not drive following your appointment 🚗. We also ask patients to please bring any current prescription glasses, as well as sunglasses also if possible as the drops can increase light sensitivity🕶️.
📘👀 For more information, check out our free guide to diabetic eye screening for all the details! https://www.inhealthgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2124-IH-BSBC-DESP-information-guide.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawL4Mq9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBjWlJoWGFaQWN5ZmpYOVBFAR5MjlpslikWiAqrPKiACkNykuU8PYV5VpuE-N2qKzI8BDzHocUPhOBho9QVtg_aem_Lo9yw30kPM4qL0EZKlQv7g

23/07/2025

👶🩺 Pregnant patients living with diabetes will be offered eye screening appointments more regularly than other patients: once at or shortly after their first antenatal visit, and again after 28 weeks. This is because pregnancy is linked with a higher risk of retinopathy in patients with diabetes. If early signs of retinopathy are spotted at the first appointment, another check between 16–20 weeks will also be arranged. Patients will be referred to clinical eye specialists for further treatment if significant retinopathy is found at any point during these appointments. 👁️💡💙
Get in touch with the Screening Programme to book your next appointment or to find out more:
📧enquiries.bsbcdesp@nhs.net
☎️0121 661 2220
For more information see also:
🔗https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/screening-tests-for-you-and-your-baby/diabetic-eye-screening

18/07/2025

👁️💙 Want to learn more about diabetic eye screening and how it protects your vision?
📘 Check out this FREE digital guide for patients in Birmingham, Solihull, and the Black Country which is packed with information on diabetic retinopathy, tips for preparing for an appointment, grading classifications, care pathways, local screening venues, key contacts & more! 🧑‍⚕️👓
🔗https://www.inhealthgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2124-IH-BSBC-DESP-information-guide.pdf

15/07/2025

☀️🎒🚶‍♀️🏞️Planning a fun day out this summer? This brilliant guide from Smallhousebigtrips is packed with free or low-cost ideas for our followers in the Birmingham, Solihull, and Black Country area.
🍎🥪🧃Whether you fancy a park picnic, museum visit, or family adventure — this online guide makes it simple to find local & budget-friendly summer activities. 🕶️📅
🔗 https://smallhousebigtrips.co.uk

10/07/2025

📢 Diabetic Eye Screening is still available – even if you're not registered with a GP.
If you’re at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Birmingham, Solihull, or the Black Country, you can still access NHS services, including Diabetic Eye Screening.

🏥 In Birmingham & Solihull, you can register for healthcare through the Health Exchange Primary Care Team:
📍 Attwood Green Medical Centre, 30 Bath Row, B15 1LZ
📞 0121 301 3900
🔗 https://www.bsmhft.nhs.uk

Need more support? These organisations can help:
✔ Birmingham City Council Housing
✔ Solihull Community Housing
✔ Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
✔ St Basils
✔ Shelter
✔ Crisis
✔ StreetLink
✔ Women's Aid
✔ YMCA
You're not alone – help is available. 💙

07/07/2025

👁️ Diabetic Eye Screening Timeline: From Booking to Results 📬
1. Patients will receive a letter in the post when they are due a diabetic eye screening appointment with details of their upcoming appointment. Patients can also book or re-arrange appointments themselves by contacting our Bookings Team (T: 0121 661 2220, E: enquiries.bsbcdesp@nhs.net) or by using the Patient Portal: https://portal.bsbcdesp.co.uk/login.html
2. The patient attends their appointment (approximately 30 minutes in length), and digital images of the retinas are captured by a trained Screener after eye drops are applied. Please remember not to drive after the screening is completed and to arrange alternative transport if necessary.
3. The screening images are then graded by a team of trained professionals.
4. Results letters are then sent out in the post to patients, or patients can opt to go paper-free and download their results directly from the Patient Portal. The patient's GP will also be informed of the results. If any signs of retinopathy are found or if the images captured were not of sufficient quality due to e.g. other eye conditions, patients will be contacted with further information about any follow-up action required.

26/06/2025

💻🖱️🌐Sending out diabetic eye screening letters costs the NHS millions of pounds a year. Go paperless today! Sign up to the Diabetic Eye Screening Patient Portal using an email address to download your eye screening results letters digitally: https://portal.bsbcdesp.co.uk

19/06/2025

The Birmingham, Solihull and Black Country Diabetic Eye Screening Programme wishes our followers a happy Pride Month 2025. In our workplace, we're committed to creating an environment where everybody feels valued and included- including the LGBTQ+ community.🌈

12/06/2025