Our consultant ophthalmologist Keith Davey  is one of the colleagues who have stepped up and responded to the Trust's appeal for money-saving ideas.

In #doingmybit  the call went out  to everyone (not just finance colleagues)  for ideas which could potentially help us with our end-of-year balance and there was a real surge into the special inbox of  doyourbit@cht.nhs.uk.

So big thanks to everyone and a reminder to anyone else there's still time to send  them in.  Lots of smaller  scale ideas really add up so do send them in - they don't have to involve millions.

Keith submitted the suggestion of getting Botox in smaller vials so not as much is wasted after a  single use. At the moment we get them in both 50  and 100 unit  boxes - see photo - and he reckons  the 50 units are the only ones we need - and  these, of course, work out cheaper.

He said: " Two days ago my trainee treated a patient in eye clinic with Botox. He had been given a 100 unit box, when we,  in eyes, only use a dose of from 1.25 units up to a maximum of about 35 units. I am sure that it would have been cheaper to have been given a 50 unit vial."

All ideas submitted to  the doyourbit@cht.nhs.uk inbox are  first assessed  for their potential then forwarded  to the Trust's experts for a closer look. 

In Keith's case it went to  acting head of Pharmacy, Fiona Smith. She said: " I thank Mr Davey for his suggestion. I will be contacting him to find out more so that we can ensure that the most cost effective medication is available at the point of use.  It is always helpful when users suggest ways we can reduce expenditure on medicines."

*Botox is used to stop eyelids twitching when a patient is receving treatment.