The North Central London Diabetic Eye Screening Programme (NCL DESP) provides specialist diabetic eye screening for patients in north central London at eight locations across Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington.  

Eye screening is a key part of diabetes care, and all diabetic patients aged 12 or older should have a specialist diabetic eye screening test every year due to the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy which can severely affect their sight. 

Diabetic retinopathy is a microvascular disease and is a complication of diabetes, caused by high blood sugar levels. It affects the small blood vessels in the back of the eye (retina). In diabetic maculopathy, the central area of the retina (the macula) is affected.  

Screening can detect the condition early and before you notice any changes to your vision. If required, patients will be referred to hospital eye services for treatment, which can prevent severe sigh loss or blindness.  

Diabetic eye screening involves taking at least two digital photographs of the back of each eye, once a year or two in some cases, to detect any early changes (diabetic retinopathy) that can occur because of diabetes.

Contact information

Tel: 020 3011 3836

Email: northmid.ncldesp@nhs.net 

Anyone with diabetes aged 12 and over who lives in Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington should ensure they attend a free diabetic eye screening test with our specialists every year.  

If you have diabetes, you will be referred to our programme by your GP and once you have registered with us, we will send you annual reminders telling you when and where your next check-up is. If you are concerned that you have been told you have diabetes and have not heard from us, please call 020 8887 2352. 

If you cannot attend an appointment, please tell us well in advance so we can offer you an alternative time and allocate your slot to another patient. Please call us on 020 3011 3836 or email us.  

  • When you attend for screening, it is important that you arrive on time so that we can ensure waiting rooms do not become overcrowded. 

  • Please bring your usual distance glasses with you. You may also like to bring sunglasses to wear to go home as everything may look very bright. 

  • It is important that you do not drive yourself to this appointment as the eye drops used during this test cause blurred vision for between two and six hours. 

  • The clinician will take a brief medical history, undertake a vision test and administer eye drops which will take approximately 30 minutes to take effect. During this time, you will return to the patient waiting area. After 30 minutes, you will be recalled and photographs will be taken of the back of your eyes. 

  • You will receive the results by letter within three weeks of your screening test and your GP will be sent the results at the same time as these are sent to you. 

You may also find it useful to watch this patient video.  

Chase Farm Hospital: Monday to Friday, evening clinics available 

Royal Free Hospital: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and occasional Saturday clinics available 

Edgware Community Hospital: Monday to Friday, evening clinics available 

Evergreen Primary Care Centre: Monday to Friday, evening clinics available 

James Wigg Practice: Monday to Friday, evening clinics available 

Morum House Medical Centre: Monday to Friday 

Torrington Park Health Centre: Monday to Friday, evening clinics available 

Whittington Hospital: Saturday clinics available

Referral methods

A list of all patients with diabetes ‘read code’ are collected from all north central London (NCL) GP practices using the nationally commissioned ‘GP2DRS’ software and sent to NCL DESP every month by the GP2DRS team. 

If GPs would like to refer anyone earlier, they can do so by completing the NCL Diabetic Eye Screening Programme referral form and emailing it to northmid.ncldesp@nhs.net. 

The referral form can be found in ISL EMIS under: 

ISL global documents > diabetes community services > NCL Diabetic Eye Screening 

Note for GP practices 

  • For the GP2DRS system to work efficiently, GPs must inform their system supplier (eg EMIS Web, SystmOne, etc) to ensure GP2DRS remains active following any IT-related change or upgrade. NCL DESP will also alert GPs monthly if IT related issues occurs. 

  • NCL GPs should update NCL DESP of any merger or closing of a practice. 

Referral exclusions 

  1. Patients who are terminally ill 

  2. Patients who are medically unfit: 

  • patients who are unable to sit still in front of a slit lamp 

  • patients who need to be transported on a stretcher 

  • patients who need to be transferred from a wheelchair via a hoist 

  • patients who are bed bound and house bound 

  • patients with severe dementia 

Medically unfit patients must be excluded from screening by GPs by completing a Certificate of Unsuitability (COU), which should be emailed to NCL DESP.

  1. Patients with pre-existing conditions: 

    1. For example, people who will never be able to benefit from and/or receive treatment due to a pre-existing condition. 

    2. Gestational diabetes: 

  • Patients with pure gestational diabetes do not seem to progress to any referable degree of diabetic retinopathy during their pregnancy and are excluded. 

  • If a patient has gestational diabetes, but has possible pre-existing diabetes, then the patient needs to be registered by the GP as having diabetes. NCL DESP will then add the patient to the screening programme and screen the patient according to the national guidelines.  

  1. Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT): 

Patients who have a result indicating IGT, borderline diabetes or pre-diabetes, and impaired fasting glycaemia. 

If GPs would like a patient who is excluded from screening to be seen for a retinal examination, they should refer to our ophthalmology service.