View 2019 Abstracts

The Amsterdam Declaration (2009), the Royal College of Physicians (RCP, 2015) guidance and Thyroid Eye Disease Amsterdam Declaration Implementation Group (TEAMeD-5, 2017) recommendations have the common goal of improving access to high quality care for thyroid eye disease (TED). The TEAMeD-5 recommends that all patients with moderate to severe TED should have access to a multidisciplinary clinic with co-location of Ophthalmology and Endocrinology expertise.

A 2-stage survey of the full BOPSS membership was conducted to ascertain current practice of existing resources to meet this recommendation between December 2016 to August 2017.

Forty one percent (65/158) responded to Survey 1, and 28 (18%) respondents to Survey 2.
36/55 (55%) of the respondents rated their relationship with their endocrinology colleagues as good. Only 6/28 (21%) of respondents use QOL in current practice. Approximately 60% (39/65) of respondents have an existing multidisciplinary clinic with an endocrinologist. Up to 50% of centres have Joint endocrinology-ophthalmology clinics. Second line immunosuppression provision is patchy. Access to orbital decompression surgery appeared available in most parts of the country.

This survey is a ‘snapshot’ of some aspects of current TED management in the UK and the findings suggest that there is scope for improvement. Based on the above we recommend a framework to enhance more robust collaboration across specialties treating TED. We propose standards endorsed by multi-disciplinary stakeholder societies for early diagnosis, assessment and treatment.