Charity chief welcomes £3m eyecare service investment

Scotland’s biggest sight loss charity has welcomed the announcement that the Scottish Government will accelerate the reform programme for NHS eye care services.

Royal Blind believes the announcement of a £3 million investment in community eyecare services can be a key step forward in the goal of achieving a national, community-based low vision service.

This will enable more people with eye conditions to receive treatment in the community,

The charity, which runs Jenny’s Well care home for older people with vision impairment in Paisley, says the establishment of a low vision service is essential to reduce regional variation in the provision of eyecare services, and so that people diagnosed with sight loss conditions can access support more quickly.

The charity has also welcomed the announcement by the First Minister that the Scottish Government consider the incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People into Scots Law.

The charity’s chief executive Mark O’Donnell said:“It is vital that everyone who is diagnosed with an eye condition receives a diagnosis, treatment and support quickly, wherever they are in Scotland, and improving support in community optometry is vital to achieve this.

“We very much welcome the additional investment and hope it helps leads to the creation of a national low vision service in Scotland which helps ensure everyone diagnosed with a sight loss condition gets the help they need, whether that be treatment, care or support in a wide range of areas, including rehabilitation and the emotional impact of visual impairment.

“We also very much welcome the announcement that the Scottish Government consider the incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People into Scots Law. We are deeply concerned that the impact of social distancing has been that the rights of disabled people have been under threat in our society.

“The challenges for people with visual impairment in observing social distancing means their rights to access public services and transport has been badly affected.

“We hope the consultation the Scottish Government takes forward on this will lead to these rights for disabled people being enshrined in our legislation.”