Chairs of the VISION 2020 Ukcommittees

Chairs of the VISION 2020 UKCommittees

31 January 2017

Contents List

1. Agenda
2. Speakers Biographies
3. MP Briefings for England
4. MP Briefings for Northern Ireland
5. MP Briefings for Scotland
6. MP Briefings for Wales

Chairs of the VISION 2020 UKCommittees

Meeting 7 Committees and Collaborations

1. Agenda for Meeting of the Chairs of the VISION 2020 UK Committees, to be held on 31/01/17,11:00–15:00 in theCouncil Room, 4th Floor at The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, 18 Stephenson Way, London, NW1 2HD

10:30Arrive and tea/coffee

11:00Preliminary items

1. Welcome, introductions and apologies for absence (Chair)
2. Declarations of Interest (Chair)
3. Notification of Any Other Business (Chair)

11:15Presentations

1. VISION 2020 UK 2016 achievements and outcomes –Mercy Jeyasingham, CEO, VISION 2020 UK

11:40Collaboration and joint working within Committees – Christine Carson, Programme Director and Deputy Director Centre for Guidelines, NICE

12:10Committee presentations – each Committee Chair has 4 minutes to introduce their Committee to the other Chairs including objectives and successes and 1 key objective for this year

Followed by discussion on the Committees

13:00Lunch

13:50Presentations continued

1. Committee presentations and discussion continued

14:30

1. Moving forward, objectives and opportunities – Mercy Jeyasingham, CEO, VISION 2020 UK
2. Questions/discussion (ALL)
3. Summary of the day (Chair)

15:00End

Chairs of the VISION 2020 UK Committees

2. Speaker’s Biography

3. MP Briefing for England

Leadingcollaborationin

eyehealthandsightloss

EyehealthandsightlossbriefingforHackneyNorthandStokeNewington

VISION 2020 UKis the umbrella organisation which leads collaboration ineye health andsight loss.Our mission is to improve the eyehealth of the UK,prevent avoidable sightloss,andensureinclusion andparticipationof peoplewho have impaired vision insociety.

Eye healthandsightlossdoes notget thesamepolicyattentionas otherhealth issues and yetsightlossaffects 2millionpeopleinthe UK.Numbers of people affected areincreasing withhospital eyeappointments for treatment nowequating to 10%of all outpatient appointments. Thereis areal need to prevent sight loss andmakethe bestuse of communityeye care,particularly amongst hardto reach groupssuchas thosewith dementia and learningdisabilities.Whileattentionoftenfocuses on thelink betweensight lossand our ageingpopulation, there are thousandsof childrenlivingwithsight losswho needmuchmore support.

Thisbriefinggives MPs somekeyinformation about these issues that willdirectly affectpeople in HackneyNorthand Stoke Newington andwhich canberaisedat anational level.

3. MP Briefing for England

Ophthalmology

Ophthalmologistsaremedicallyqualified eyedoctorswho specialiseinthe prevention, treatmentand managementof eye disease including surgeryin hospital eye services.

Poorvision affects health,economic well-beingand productivityofindividuals, families andsocietyas a whole.The riskof mortalityandmorbidityfromother chronic conditions (both physical and mental)increases significantlywithlossof sight.

The focusof apopulationapproach toeyeandvisionhealth willcreate conditionswhere peoplecan achieve theirfullvisionpotential.Ophthalmologyis ahighly efficient specialty with largevolumes of surgeryperformedin hospitaleye services and future projectionsof population demographics indicate significant increases in demandforophthalmic services.

• Over 700,000 operations peryear in England (6% of totalsurgery)
• Over 7 million out-patient appointments (nearly10%of allout-patients)
• More than 1millionproceduressuchas diabetic retinallaser, intra-ocular druginjections

Ophthalmologistshavebeen a responsiveworkforce ofless than1500 ophthalmologists in the UK, absorbingsignificant increasesin demandby developinginnovative modelsof care. However,a recentworkforcesurveyby the RoyalCollege of Ophthalmologistsindicates that 30%of consultant posts advertised in 2015were not filled due to lack of appropriatelytrained applicants andmost eye units showa shortfall of atleast oneconsultant.

Calltoaction:

WeaskMPstosupportmakingvisionandeyehealthanationalhealthpriority,whichwilldeliversignificantpublichealthgainsandreducethefinancialandresourcesburdenonthewidercommunityandsocialcaresystems.

Formoreinformation about Ophthalmology pleasecontactLiz Price, The Royal College ofOphthalmologists

3. MP Briefing for England

PrimaryEyeCareServices

Optometristsanddispensingopticians –bothinthe communityand inthehospital eye service-playkeyrolesinthe prevention,earlydiagnosis, prompt referraland ongoing managementof commoneye conditions,including glaucoma,cataract, age-related macular degenerationanddiabetic retinopathy.

Communityopticalpractices havereadilyavailable trainedprofessionals, premisesandequipment in accessiblelocationsto meetmost of the population’s eye healthneeds. Optometrists conduct 18.5million sight tests ayearinEngland but theycanalso provideavarietyofcommunityeye care pathwaysoverand above thestandardsight test.

InHackneyNorthandStoke Newingtoncommunityoptical practicesprovide: Cataract ReferralService.

Other communityeye care pathways could beprovidedin your constituency but asof January2017, thesearenot currentlycommissioned.These include:Post-OperativeCataract Pathway,GlaucomaReferral Refinement Service, OcularHypertensionMonitoring(OHT) pathway,Stable GlaucomaMonitoring Service,A Minor Eye ConditionsService, Children'sVisionPathway,A LowVision Service for Adults withSight Loss,Pathwayfor AdultandYoung Peoplewith Learning Disabilities and AGlaucoma Repeat Readings Pathway– all of which could reduce referrals tosecondarycare, reduce patient waiting times and anxiety, andfreeingupcapacitywithinoverburdened hospital eye clinics.

There are 2.6million eye related GP appointments and270,000eye-relatedA&Evisitsevery year, which couldbebetter and fastermanagedin primarycare through the commissioningof schemes suchas these.

Calltoaction:

• ContactyourClinicalCommissioningGroup(s)andLocalAuthority(orLocalAuthorities)tofindoutwhatplanstheyhavetocommissionextendedprimaryeyecareservices
• FindoutwhatplansyourSTPhasforprimaryeyecare

Formoreinformation about the role ofcommunityoptometrists pleasecontact JennyGowen, Optical

3. MP Briefing for England

ChildrenandYoungPeople

There are around40,000children and young peoplewith a visionimpairment in the UK. Itis essential that childrenandyoung people with sightlossreceive support services to enablethemto fulfil their potential.

Habilitation serviceshelpchildrenandyoung peoplewhohaveavision impairment learn importantmovementand life skills. Theyare helped todeveloptheirpersonal mobility, navigationandindependentliving skills, which can have asignificant positive impact on theirlearning, confidence andwellbeing.

HabilitationservicesinEngland

Research has demonstratedthat there is apatchwork of habilitation provision across England. Only17% of children with sightlossreceived habilitationinthe six monthscovered bytheresearch. This is a figurethatvaries dramatically acrossthe country, with some local authorities providinghabilitation to amuch as 64% of their localpopulation of childrenwith sight loss, and othersto as littleas 2%.

Thereis aparticular lackof services forchildrenandyoungpeople outsideof schoolage, and outside of aschool setting. Local authorities reporta lackof resources, andanabsence of trainedprofessional HabilitationSpecialists.

Calltoaction:

• Fundingfromcentralgovernmenttosupporthabilitation
• FocusedcampaignbytheDepartmentforEducationandDepartmentofHealthtopromotehabilitation
• HealthEducationEnglandtoincreasethenumberoftrainingplacesforHabilitationSpecialists

Formoreinformation about servicesforchildren and young peoplewith sightloss please contactChris Theobald, Guide

3. MP Briefing for England

Learningdisability

Childrenandadults withalearningdisabilityhave a muchgreaterlikelihoodof serious sight problems thanthegeneralpopulation. Of the1.5 millionpeoplewith learning disabilitiesin the UK, over125,000are estimatedto beblind orvisually impaired and 6in10 adults with learning disabilitieswill needglasses andsupport to get used to them.

Research suggests 4 in 10childreninspecial schoolshave had nohistoryofeye care,and half of adultswithlearning disabilitieswon’thave had asight test inthe recommendedperiod.

The fewlocalinitiatives to helppeople withlearningdisabilities get theeye care theyneed are dependent onlocaleyecare professionals, health bodies or charitiesacting to fill thegap. InHackneyNorth and StokeNewington, unfortunately, a promoted pathwayofeye careforyoungpeople and adultswith learning disabilitiesisnot currentlycommissioned. InWales thereis aplan tooffer sight tests to childreninspecialschools–therest of the UK needs to follow suit.InScotlandalladultsareeligibleforNHS funded sight tests–yetelsewhere workingage adultswith learning disabilities mayfindtheyhave to pay.

Policymakers alsoneed tobechallengedonwhyitis sorare tofind mention of the risks ofsightproblemsin nationallearningdisabilitystrategies (such as TransformingCareinEngland)andcare standards.

Calltoaction:

MPscanhelpbycallingonnationalhealthpolicymakerstoprioritisetheneedsofthosewithlearningdisabilitiessothatsighttestsbecomeeasiertoaccess,especiallyforthosewhofinditmoredifficulttovisitahighstreetoptician.

Formoreinformation about servicesforpeoplewith sight loss andalearning disability,please contact Donna O’Brien,

3. MP Briefing for England

Dementia

There are approximately2 million people inthe UKwith sightloss. Therearealso 850,000 with a diagnosisof dementiaand 120,000whohaveboth dementiaand sight loss. This means that therearemany votersinyour constituencyeither sufferingwith this combinationof problems or arecaring forindividuals whodo. As thepopulation of people over65is increasing, this problem is onlygoing to grow.

Asyou can imaginethe impact onsomeone’s lifeof havingboththese conditions isverydifficultfor theindividual, their relativesand those who care forthem. Research shows that these patients suffer greaterconfusion,isolation, loneliness, boredom andreducedabilitytolive independently.

Forpeoplewith dementia,sightloss canexacerbatesymptoms, ormask them. Correcting vision losscan help reducetheimpactof dementia,atleast in theearly stages, and improve someone’s qualityoflife. 32%of people with dementia attendinganoptometrist willrequirea furtherhospitalvisitto treat causesof avoidable blindness–but toomanydonotseeanoptometrist and receive this help. Oneof the mainbarrierstoaccessing eye care for these patients is thatall toooften theircarersarenot awareof thedifferencethat correctedvision can make fora personwith dementia anddonot prioritisesight testing.

Adults over 60 areentitled toNHSfunded eye tests andwemustensurethat patients with dementia arehelpedto receive aregular eye testat their high street optometrist orintheir ownhome orcarehome.We alsoneedtoensurethat these patients are efficientlyreferredinto theirlocal eye clinicto have treatmentwhen necessaryand thatbarriers to referral areeliminated.

Calltoaction:

WeaskMPstohelpbycallingonlocalhealthandsocialcarepolicymakersandcommissionerstoprioritiseaddressingsightlossforthosewithdementia.

Formoreinformation about servicesforpeoplewith sight loss anddementia, please contact Matt Broom,VISION

4. MP Briefing for Northern Ireland

Leadingcollaborationin

eyehealthandsightloss

Eyehealthandsightlossbriefing

VISION 2020 UK is the umbrella organisation which leads collaboration in eye health and sight loss. Our mission is to improve the eye health of the UK, prevent avoidable sight loss, and ensure inclusion and participation of people who have impaired vision in society.

Eye health and sight loss does not get the same policy attention as other health issues and yet sight loss affects 2 million people in the UK. Numbers of people affected are increasing with hospital eye appointments for treatment now equating to 10% of all outpatient appointments. There is a real need to prevent sight loss and make the best use of community eye care, particularly amongst hard to reach groups such as those with dementia and learning disabilities. While attention often focusses on the link between sight loss and our ageing population, there are thousands of children living with sight loss who need much more support.

This briefing gives MPs some key information about these issues that will directly affect people in your constituency and which can be raised at a national level.

4. MP Briefing for Northern Ireland

Ophthalmology

Ophthalmologists are medically qualified eye doctors who specialise in the prevention, treatment and management of eye disease including surgery in hospital eye services.

Poor vision affects health, economic well-being and productivity of individuals, families and society as a whole. The risk of mortality and morbidity from other chronic conditions (both physical and mental) increases significantly with loss of sight.

The focus of a population approach to eye and vision health will create conditions where people can achieve their full vision potential.Ophthalmology is a highly efficient specialty with large volumes of surgery performed in hospital eye services and future projections of population demographics indicate significant increases in demand for ophthalmic services.

• Over 7 million out-patient appointments (nearly 10% of all out-patients)
• More than 1 million procedures such as diabetic retinal laser, intra-ocular drug injections

Ophthalmologists have been a responsive workforce of less than 1500 ophthalmologists in the UK, absorbing significant increases in demand by developing innovative models of care. However, a recent workforce survey by the Royal College of Ophthalmologistsindicates that 30% of consultant posts advertised in 2015 were not filled due to lack of appropriately trained applicants and most eye units show a shortfall of at least one consultant.

Call to action:

We ask MPs to support making vision and eye health a national health priority, which will deliver significant public health gains and reduce the financial and resources burden on the wider community and social care systems.

For more information about Ophthalmology, please contact Liz Price, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists

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4. MP Briefing for Northern Ireland

Children and Young People

There are around 40,000 children and young people with a vision impairment in the UK. It is essential that children and young people with sight loss receive support services to enable them to fulfil their potential.

Habilitation services help children and young people who have a vision impairment learn important movement and life skills. They are helped to develop their personal mobility, navigation and independent living skills, which can have a significant positive impact on their learning, confidence and wellbeing.

Habilitation services in Northern Ireland

• There is no statutory requirement to provide habilitation or statutory provision of habilitation services in Northern Ireland

Call to action:

For the Northern Ireland Government to adopt the Habilitation Quality Standards as a matter of urgency, incorporating its principles and guidelines as a priority for future service planning, provision of assessment, codes of practice and inspection.

Adopting the Habilitation Standards will:

• Ensure that each child receives an assessment, as early as possible, by appropriately qualified Habilitation Specialists
• Provide parents with clear information regarding their rights to specialist support and relevant pathways through health and education
• Form part of the codes of practice, assessment and inspection within education and health
• Allow parents to expect that their child’s habilitation needs will be included in statements, education plans and care plans

For more information about services for children and young people with sight loss please contact Chris Theobald, Guide Dogs

4. MP Briefing for Northern Ireland

Learning disability

Children and adults with a learning disability have a much greater likelihood of serious sight problems than the general population. Of the 1.5 million people with learning disabilities in the UK, over 125,000 are estimated to be blind or visually impaired and 6 in 10 adults with learning disabilities will need glasses and support to get used to them.

Research suggests 4 in 10 children in special schools have had no history of eye care, and half of adults with learning disabilities won’t have had a sight test in the recommended period.

The few local initiatives to help people with learning disabilities get the eye care they need are dependent on local eye care professionals, health bodies or charities acting to fill the gap. In Wales there is a plan to offer sight tests to children in special schools – the rest of the UK needs to follow suit. In Scotland all adults are eligible for NHS funded sight tests – yet elsewhere working age adults with learning disabilities may find they have to pay.

Policymakers also need to be challenged on why it is so rare to find mention of the risks of sight problems in national learning disability strategies (such as Transforming Care in England) and care standards.

Call to action:

MPs can help by calling on national health policymakers to prioritise the needs of those with learning disabilities so that sight tests become easier to access, especially for those who find it more difficult to visit a high street optician.

For more information about services for people with sight loss and a learning disability, please contact Donna O’Brien, SeeAbility

4. MP Briefing for Northern Ireland

Dementia

There are approximately 2 million people in the UK with sight loss. There are also 850,000 with a diagnosis of dementia and 120,000 who have both dementia and sight loss. This means that there are many voters in your constituency either suffering with this combination of problems or are caring for individuals who do. As the population of people over 65 is increasing, this problem is only going to grow.

As you can imagine the impact on someone’s life of having both these conditions is very difficult for the individual, their relatives and those who care for them. Research shows that these patients suffer greater confusion, isolation, loneliness, boredom and reduced ability to live independently.

For people with dementia, sight loss can exacerbate symptoms, or mask them. Correcting vision loss can help reduce the impact of dementia, at least in the early stages, and improve someone’s quality of life. 32% of people with dementia attending an optometrist will require a further hospital visit to treat causes of avoidable blindness – but too many do not see an optometrist and receive this help. One of the main barriers to accessing eye care for these patients is that all too often their carers are not aware of the difference that corrected vision can make for a person with dementia and do not prioritise sight testing.

Adults over 60 are entitled to NHS funded eye tests and we must ensure that patients with dementia are helped to receive a regular eye tests at their high street optometrist or in their own home or care home. We also need to ensure that these patients are efficiently referred into their local eye clinic to have treatment when necessary and that barriers to referral are eliminated.

Call to action:

We ask MPs to help by calling on local health and social care policymakers and commissioners to prioritise addressing sight loss for those with dementia.

For more information about services for people with sight loss and dementia, please contact Matt Broom, VISION 2020 UK

5.MP Briefing for Scotland