Sharon Beckett CEO Sight Support 01495 763650 Sharon

Sharon Beckett, CEO Sight Support 01495 763650 Sharon. Beckett@Sightsupport. org. uk Miriam Wright, CEO Vision Support 01244 381515 mwright@visionsupport. org. uk

Background • Experience of Service Delivery in partnership with Local Authorities. • Rehabilitation Teams • Supporting and providing training to increase workforce • Value of this expertise within our organisations

Developments in Rehabilitation • • Facing threat of considerable cuts Growing demographic service user base Increased expectations and aspirations Increased skill base of workers, growing professionalism and enthusiasm to embrace continuous professional development

So, do we all work harder? • Statutory sector cuts & reductions in service • Partnership working • Added value, working smarter • Some ideas to be going on with …….

LVT project • Reduces the referral pathway to rehabilitation services • Includes people who previously would not have seen a rehabilitation worker • Provides rehabilitation before independence is compromised • Randomised Control Trial so will be monitored closely for effectiveness

Optometrist GP No Ophthalmology Register as sight impaired? Drop Out Yes Social Services, CVI Call by Social Worker No Eligibility Critical or above? Drop Out Yes Refer to rehab

LVT Project • Low Vision Assessment, will allocate 50% patients onto pathway ‘ 1’ and 50% onto pathway ‘ 2’ • Pathway 1 will be 3 immediate sessions of rehabilitation • Pathway 2 will be 3 immediate sessions with a volunteer • STILL go through the normal route as well so will also go through to ophthalmology and social services • Evaluation from Cardiff University

Direct Payments • Guide Dogs led project training Sighted Guides • Adding value to existing services • Enabling independence, not reliance on statutory sector going forward

Counselling • Using counsellors who need to gain ‘hours’ to qualify, but have done all theory • Trained in sight loss, prognosis, what services available • Matched carefully for compatibility • Supervised • Time limited and reviewed carefully • Enables better use of Rehabilitation Workers time

Middlestep Courses • Course for smallish groups of newly registered people & their carers • 4 or 5 days, 1 day per week • Cover eye condition, eye health, services available in your area, welfare rights, aids and equipment, hints and tips, emotional support, full assessment of need • Good peer support • Acts as a buffer to reduce need for immediate rehabilitation whilst also identifying high risk

Summary • Finances will be tight • Important that the most vulnerable people in society should not end up being the biggest losers in any cuts • Lots of different ways forward – need to keep an open mind, re-engineer what we do • Partnership working, use of voluntary sector to increase leverage

Thanks for listening. Sharon Beckett Sight Support Miriam Wright Vision Support Bradbury House Park Buildings Pontypool NP 4 6 JH The Ropeworks Whipcord Lane Chester CH 1 4 DZ 0195 763650 01244 381515 Sharon. Beckett@Sightsupport. org. uk mwright@visionsupport. org. uk