Attachment 2
VISION 2020 UK Public A ffairs Committee Meeti ng
Minutes of the VISION 2020 UK Public Affairs Committee meeting held on 19/01/17, 13:00 – 15:00 in Meeting Room 6, Lower Ground Floor at RNIB, 105 Judd Street, London, WC1H 9NE
Present: MJ Mercy Jeyasingham (Joint Chair), VISION 2020 UK JG Jenny Gowen (Joint Chair), Optical Confederation
DB Donna O'Brien, SeeAbility LB Liz Bates, Deafblind UK – teleconference MdC Marsha de Cordova, Thomas Pocklington Trust NR Niall Ryan, VISION 2020 UK SB Sarah Bailey, UK Vision Strategy SS Sarah Schoenberger, Guide Dogs – delegating for James White
Observer: OD Olivier Denève, The College of Optometrists
In Attendance: TK Tayyaba Kamal (Secretary), VISION 2020 UK
Apologies: Ann-Mari Freebairn, Blind Veterans UK Beth Barnes, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Helen Dearman, RNIB 1 ______VISION 2020 UK 2nd Floor, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE Reg. Company No. 7850769 Charity No. 1146746/SC046837 Attachment 2
James White, Guide Dogs Lara King, Blind Veterans UK Liz Price, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Louise Robertshaw, Guide Dogs Michele Acton, Fight for Sight Phil Ambler, Thomas Pocklington Trust
1. Welcome, introductions and apologies (MJ) All attendees were welcomed to the meeting and introductions were given. Apologies were read out. 2. Notes of the previous meeting, 24 October and matters arising (MJ) The minutes were approved. Action 3.2 – Declaration of interest form has been updated and circulated to the trustees for their comments. Once complete, it will be circulated to the committee. Action 8.2 – SeeAbility only have 23 signatures so far for their Early Day Motion(EDM) . All to encourage MPs to sign the EDM around special needs schools sight testing – https://www.parliament.uk/edm/2016-17/280. Action 9.1 – An email group has been set up for the committee. As individual emails may still be seen in the group email, permissions will need to be sought first from everyone before using the group email. All other matters arising were completed or were covered on the agenda.
3. Final MP newsletter / constituency briefing for January 2017 (JG) JG reported part one of the final MP newsletter / constituency briefing for January was mailed out last week. This included information on ophthalmology, primary eye care, learning disability, children and dementia. (Post meeting note: example of MP using data from the briefing – 2 ______VISION 2020 UK 2nd Floor, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE Reg. Company No. 7850769 Charity No. 1146746/SC046837 Attachment 2
https://andrewgwynne.co.uk/2017/01/26/gwynne-sets- sight-on-a-clearer-future-for-constituents-eyesight/) (Post meeting note: o Information was requested on how constituency data was mapped onto CCG and LA data. The following two sources were used by JG: This report gives you LAs to CCGs – https://www.rnib.org.uk/sites/default/files/Saving %20money%20losing%20sight%20Campaign %20report_0.pdf o This list (there are many others like this available – this is just an example) gives you CCGs in constituencies – http://joereddington.com/4393/2014/10/22/nhs-areas- and-constituencies/ ) A second briefing will be distributed in June covering different parts of the eye health and sight loss sector, including, where possible, constituency specific information. As there have been a number of suggested topics for consideration in the June briefing, we will be looking for: o 200 words including a direct call to action for MPs and contact details of lead organisation. o Constituency/local council data on that topic or services available that will directly affect their constituents. o Topics which have not already been covered in the first briefing. Topics already covered were: ophthalmology, primary eye care services, children and young people, learning disability and dementia. Preference will be given to topics where data can be provided. This will be discussed and agreed at the next meeting in March. If anyone cannot attend the meeting but would like to suggest a topic please email JG [email protected] and NR [email protected] with the suggestion in advance. VISION 2020 UK have already received some responses and a request for a press release which NR will do. 3 ______VISION 2020 UK 2nd Floor, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE Reg. Company No. 7850769 Charity No. 1146746/SC046837 Attachment 2
If anyone else whose email address was included in the MP briefing receives requests for information, please inform JG. It was suggested the briefings could be sent to candidates in the by-elections. NR would write to all by-election candidates with the briefing. It was suggested the MP briefings be shared with the Chairs of Committees of VISION 2020 UK. MJ agreed to show these at the Chairs of Committees meeting on 31 January. It was suggested the MP newsletter be publicised in the weekly VISION 2020 UK newsletter. NR agreed to add this to the newsletter.
Actions: 3.1 NR to do press release for the MP newsletter / constituency briefing. 3.2 NR to write to all by-election candidates with the briefing. 3.3 MJ to show the Chairs of Committees of VISION 2020 UK the MP briefings at the Chairs of Committees meeting on 31 January. 3.4 NR to include the MP newsletter in the VISION 2020 UK newsletter.
4. Events calendar for MPs (JG) JG informed there was a lack of information about events, awareness days/weeks to send to MPs with the January newsletter. This will now be sent out in September to coincide with National Eye Health Week.
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Actions: 4.1 All group members asked to send information about events etc from September to December to JG and NR
5. All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) update (OD) OD attended the recent AGM where monthly meetings for 2017 were discussed and activities planned up to summer including: o 31 January – 6 APPGs with the Secretary of State, green paper on work and health; o 27 February – shared spaces; o 24 April – diabetes and sight loss; and o 12 June – Sight Tests & Glasses for seldom heard groups. More joint APPGs meetings linking with other issues such as diabetes and smoking would give eye health and sight loss more visibility. A drop in session on cataracts will be held. This is not a formal meeting as MPs are able to pop in and out and have pictures taken. Two debates are also planned: i) diabetes; and ii) work and health following on from the consultation. It was agreed the APPG should be included on the next MP newsletter. OD to supply JG with APPG information for the June briefing. OD reported Helen Dearman is leading the inquiry into follow up appointments. OD highlighted there was a recent article in The Guardian about APPGs – ‘Are APPGs a ‘dark space’ for covert lobbying?’ – https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jan/06/are- appgs-a-dark-space-for-covert-lobbying DO highlighted that NHS England are looking at reform of sight tests for people with learning disabilities and a 5 ______VISION 2020 UK 2nd Floor, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE Reg. Company No. 7850769 Charity No. 1146746/SC046837 Attachment 2
decision may be taken in August, so the APPG on seldom heard groups in June to include learning disability would be timely and could include an invite to members of the APPG on learning disability. A letter is being drafted with Helen Dearman to the Secretary of State on driving and sight test.
Actions: 5.1 OD to supply JG with APPG information for the June briefing.
6. General election manifesto It was agreed that when creating a general election manifesto, it should include actions, costings and asks for MPs. It was suggested that this could be sent to candidates as a person of influence instead of assuming the candidate will be elected as an MP. It would be useful if there was a way to track candidates signing up to the manifesto, i.e. register on a website. In order to have the manifesto ready for 2018, it was agreed to start discussions on drafting a manifesto now. JG suggested the manifesto could be distributed in a drip feed starting with those candidates who are known to stand for election. It was suggested the manifesto could also be sent to members of VISION 2020 UK who will be able to reach local levels. LB mentioned Deafblind UK have groups across the country so we can use these groups. It was suggested the MP briefing could be adapted for regional mayors. Alternatively, a congratulations letter could be sent after the election in May with a tick list of things to do. SS agreed to share list of Mayors once updated.
Actions: 6.1 JG to draft congratulatory letter to regional mayors including a tick list of things to do. 6 ______VISION 2020 UK 2nd Floor, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE Reg. Company No. 7850769 Charity No. 1146746/SC046837 Attachment 2
6.2 SS to send TK list of regional mayors once updated for circulation to the committee.
7. Forthcoming events/debates in Parliament Deafblind UK o New marketing strategy is being finalised.
Guide Dogs (SS) o Access campaigns following up from private members bill on Disability Equality Training (Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Drivers). o Second reading on 31 January on Bus services bill. o Blind Children UK services have now integrated within the Guide Dogs Brand. o Access petition launched on Guide Dogs website last week – http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action? ea.client.id=113&ea.campaign.id=61279&ea.tracking .id=V20. NR agreed to include this in the VISION 2020 UK newsletter.
Optical Confederation (JG) o Registration of healthcare professionals Lord Hunt private bill is being held in a couple of weeks. o Adjustable glasses private members bill will be a joint briefing with The College of Optometrists and RNIB Research is being carried out by Association of British Dispensing Opticians which will hopefully add to the briefing. Once finalised it will be circualted to the group in case others want to sign up.
SeeAbility (DO) o SeeAbility have an early day motion (EDM) around special needs schools sight testing. DO asked everyone to encourage their MPs to sign it – https://www.parliament.uk/edm/2016-17/280
The College of Optometrists (OD) 7 ______VISION 2020 UK 2nd Floor, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE Reg. Company No. 7850769 Charity No. 1146746/SC046837 Attachment 2
o The Prevalence of Visual Impairment in Dementia (PrOVIDe) launch is being held on 25 April with Debbie Abrahams MP. o General Optical Council have contacted the APPG about holding a parliamentary event but have not provided any details so OD will contact them for more information.
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (Liz Price’s email read by MJ) o ‘Working on an STP communications strategy. o Carrie has had meetings with David Mowat, also with Derek Thomas (MP), Nic Dakin (MP) – interested MPs from our parliamentary reception – which are helping us connect with STP leads in their regions. o We will be reviewing our public affairs strategy for 2017 – it is an area we need to continue to develop. o We have outstanding work with DH in that we are trying to get NHS Tariffs and Follow Ups on their agenda with relevant departments like NHSEngland pricing development managers and NHSI[mprovement].'
VISION 2020 UK (MJ) o Chairs of Committees of VISION 2020 UK being held on 31 January with guest speaker Christine Carson, NICE who will be speaking about committee work. o A response is being done on behalf of the sector for the Green paper. o Department for Work and Pensions consultation events are being held next week on Monday 23 and Friday 27 January. OD offered to pass on responses to Debbie Abrahams.
Actions: 7.1 NR to add link to Independent Age website - https://www.independentage.org/ - in the VISION 2020 UK newsletter. 8 ______VISION 2020 UK 2nd Floor, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE Reg. Company No. 7850769 Charity No. 1146746/SC046837 Attachment 2
7.2 NR to add link to Guide Dogs Access petition in the VISION 2020 UK newsletter.
8. UK Vision Strategy consultation evaluation project update (SB) SB reported the ‘Shaping the future report’ will be circulated this afternoon to the UK Vision Strategy mailing list. It is a 132 page report with a five page summary at the start of the report - http://www.ukvisionstrategy.org.uk/new-report-makes- recommendations-future-collaboration-eye-health-and- sight-loss-sectors. The evaluation was carried out by the Charities Evaluation Services over a period of six months in the four countries using interviews, stakeholder events and surveys involving individuals with sight loss as well as professionals. The report showed the strategy provides a unified voice for government but more can be done to link into policies and agendas. Also, collaborative work in England has been a big success. The England Vision Strategy Conference next week will have a presentation by the lead researcher Shehnaaz Latif about evaluation. Also the Joint Chairs of England Vision Strategy Peter Corbett and John Thompson will do a Q & A. The next step involves the Vision Strategy Transition Programme looking at taking the research forwards with RNIB, The College of Optometrists, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Thomas Pocklington Trust, Guide Dogs and VISION 2020 UK.
9. RNIB updating ‘Sight loss stats and facts’ postcard (MJ) MJ informed John Slade, RNIB is reviewing the ‘Sight loss stats and facts postcard. This will be discussed next week at the VISION 2020 UK Social Research Committee
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which is chaired by Philippa Simkiss who is John’s manager. It was agreed that it would be useful if the postcard contained constituency or Local Authority data. This would be easy to do as the ECF campaigning forum has mapped the constituencies. It was suggested that the Sight Loss Data Tool should also be mapped by constituency.
10. Any other business (MJ) There was no other business.
11. Date of next meeting (MJ) It was agreed the next meeting should be held late March 2017.
Actions: 11.1 TK to send doodle poll for meeting in late March 2017.
Summary of Actions Table Item / Action Member Date Terms of reference and Declaration of interest policy 3.2 MJ to update the Declaration of MJ (24/10/16) interest form and circulate to all. (19/01/17 – Updated form to be circulated once agreed by Trustees.) Setting up email group 9.1 TK to look into setting up a VISION TK (24/10/16) 2020 UK email address for the committee. (19/01/17 – permissions to be sought from all first to share email.)
Final MP newsletter / constituency briefing for January 2017
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Item / Action Member Date 3.1 NR to do press release for the MP NR (19/01/17) newsletter / constituency briefing. 3.2 NR to write to all by-election NR (19/01/17) candidates with the briefing. 3.3 MJ to show the Chairs of Committees MJ (19/01/17) of VISION 2020 UK the MP briefings at the Chairs of Committees meeting on 31 January. 3.4 NR to include the MP newsletter in the NR (19/01/17) VISION 2020 UK newsletter. All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) update 5.1 OD to supply JG with APPG OD (19/01/17) information for the June briefing. All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) update 6.1 JG to draft congratulatory letter to JG (19/01/17) regional mayors including a tick list of things to do. 6.2 SS to send TK list of regional mayors SS / TK (19/01/17) once updated for circulation to the committee. Forthcoming events/debates in Parliament 7.1 NR to add link to Independent Age NR (19/01/17) website - https://www.independentage.org/ - in the VISION 2020 UK newsletter. 7.2 NR to add link to Guide Dogs Access NR (19/01/17) petition in the VISION 2020 UK newsletter. Date of next meeting 11.1 TK to send doodle poll for meeting in TK (19/01/17) late March 2017.
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