Multidisciplinary Working in Low Vision Services Lance Clarke, Chairman NALSVI and Mary Bairstow, Low Vision Services Implementation Officer

Problems, Perceptions and the Psychology of it all !

European Snapshot EIRE – information process Spain – based on membership of ONCE Germany – elderly people France – early intervention Netherlands – some long waiting times Switzerland – good agency cooperation

Low Vision Service Committees Late 1990’s awareness of the need for change in LV Services “More and better” Consensus meeting 1998 - chaired Lord Jenkin Low vision report 1999 Report set standards suggests LV Committees 11 in 1999 now 68 March 2005

Major Influencing Factors (taken from AMD Alliance Campaign 2003 Country Reports and Warwick Study) Funding Professionalism Bureaucracy Information Awareness

LVSC Successes Increased involvement VI people Increased or new services Increased influence, eg pathways Increased networking inter agency Increased awareness and understanding of Low Vision issues

Five Markers for Successful Change Clarity of purpose Channelling energy Challenging the ‘reality’ Covering ‘everything’ Collaboration

Quotations One of the key strengths of Low Vision Service Committees is their ability to bring visually impaired people and different service providers together. Warwick Study 2004

Recommendation: Set up Low Vision Service Committees…!

References Low Vision Services - Recommendations for future service delivery in the UK Low Vision Services Consensus Group The Low Vision Project National (UK) Evaluation Report – Gibson/Hundt/Stuttaford - Health at Warwick 2004 Country Reports … Low Vision Rehabilitation - Age-Related Macular Disease Alliance International Campaign Report 2003 The Cost of Sight Loss in the UK – RNIB Campaign Report 23