Why patients from West Sussex come to Portsmouth
Chichester sits closer to Queen Alexandra Hospital than a lot of people realise. It is around 20 minutes along the A27, and from Emsworth or Southbourne it is 10 to 15. For much of the western half of West Sussex, Portsmouth is the nearest specialist oculoplastic unit rather than a long haul to somewhere else.
That unit is the largest in the region. Three consultant oculoplastic surgeons work here, more than any other nearby service, and over a thousand new referrals come through each year. We run the only joint periocular oncology multidisciplinary team meeting in the region, bringing Mohs surgeons, oculoplastic surgeons and maxillofacial surgeons together for eyelid cancers, and the only joint lacrimal clinic. The endoscopic lacrimal service here is the highest volume in the region, with weekly operating lists that I lead.
I also have a longstanding connection to this side of the county boundary. My subspecialty fellowship was at University Hospitals Sussex in Brighton, a dedicated year in oculoplastic, lacrimal and orbital surgery including endoscopic lacrimal and orbital training, and a good deal of my Sussex referral network dates from then.
What I treat
Both the functional problems that affect how the eye works and the cosmetic ones that affect how it looks:
- Upper eyelid surgery and lower eyelid surgery for hooded lids and under eye bags
- Ptosis correction for a drooping upper eyelid
- Entropion and ectropion repair
- Watery eye assessment and scarless endoscopic tear duct surgery
- Thyroid eye disease and orbital decompression
- Eyelid skin cancer excision and reconstruction
For the more specialised work, orbital disease, complex tear duct problems, or revision surgery after an operation elsewhere, patients travel a great deal further than Chichester and it is usually worth doing so. For straightforward cosmetic eyelid surgery the deciding factor is more often who you would rather have holding the instruments.
Getting here from Chichester
Queen Alexandra Hospital (PO6 3LY) sits on the northern edge of Portsmouth just off the A27, so you do not have to drive into the city itself. From Chichester it is typically 20 minutes, and from Emsworth or Southbourne 10 to 15. Coming from Bognor, Selsey or Arundel, add roughly 15 to 20 minutes to the Chichester time.
Parking is multi-storey on site, with accessible bays at the main entrances. By train, Cosham and Havant stations both connect onward to the hospital, with frequent bus routes from Portsmouth, Cosham and Havant.
Arranging an appointment
Private consultations are arranged through my secretary, Gina Stacey. A referral letter from your GP or optometrist is helpful but not essential for self funding patients. If you are using insurance you will need both a referral and a pre-authorisation code. I am recognised by Aviva, Allianz, Alliance Healthcare, Bupa and Vitality.
For NHS care, ask your GP or optometrist in Chichester, Emsworth or the surrounding area to refer you to the eye department at Queen Alexandra Hospital.