Roy Dominy Ophthalmology Acute Referral Centre opens at Kingston Hospital

The refurbishment and expansion of the Royal Eye Unit’s acute referral centre, which sees patients requiring urgent eye care, was made possible thanks to a generous bequest left to Kingston Hospital Charity by the late Roy Dominy, a resident of Hampton for 80 years. The new unit includes a resuscitation area and six clinical bays to help meet the growing demands on this service.

Ahead of National Health Week (17-24 September 2021) a formal opening and tour of the new referral centre was attended by Sian Bates, Chairperson of Kingston Hospital Charity, Ian and Kate Cole, neighbours of Mr Dominy along with Ian and Fiona Hughes, long-standing friends of Mr Dominy.

Vijay Shanmuganathan, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Kingston Hospital’s Royal Eye Unit, said: “This week is National Eye Health Week and we are delighted to be able to welcome patients to the new Roy Dominy Ophthalmology Acute Referral Centre, which has been planned to support more efficient and better care. Patients can be seen more quickly now, while improving their privacy and dignity.”

Ian Hughes, said: “It was a privilege and a pleasure to have been invited to formally open the Roy Dominy Ophthalmology Acute Referral Centre, to mark Roy’s bequest to Kingston Hospital Charity. On more than one occasion Roy said to me that it was important that I have my eyesight regularly checked. It is therefore fitting that his bequest has been used to help fund a busy department within Kingston Hospital’s Royal Eye Unit that is serving a community that Roy was part of for all his life.”

Director of Kingston Hospital Charity, Rob Aldous, said: “We are extremely grateful to Roy for the very generous gift left in his will. Many of the projects that we support across the hospital are made possible thanks to people like Roy who, after taking care family and friends, choose to leave a gift in their wills that will benefit patients now and in the future.”