VISION 2020 UK Communications Group Report
VISION 2020 UK Communications Group reports
Organisation: Action for Blind People (Action)
Name of author of report: Chris Dyson
Achievements
Action for Blind People proclaimed a saint!
BBC TV has once again proclaimed Action as a ‘saint’, after filming members of our South London Team, profiling their success in securing welfare entitlements, and providing Job Club technology training for a service user. ‘Saints and Scroungers’ will screen this fascinating feature in the autumn. This is the third time Action has received a halo from the popular BBC programme! (3)
Lifestyle tips to reassure people concerned about sight loss
Action for Blind People (Action) has launched a new lifestyle campaign, using top tips on posters and postcards to reassure people concerned about sight loss. The campaign – being trialed in Devon – is targeting opticians, pharmacies and GPs. The story featured in Optometry Today, Optician magazine, NB (New Beacon online), and in South West regional press. (2 and 3)
Link to full story below:
https://www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/assets/Uploads/press-releases/Lifestyle-campaign-for-people-with-sight-loss-in-Devon.pdf
Action’s hate crime research
Action’s research into discrimination against people with sight loss is helping to keep concerns about hate crime on the news agenda; BBC Radio Four’s In Touch (17 June) was the latest broadcaster to cite Action’s historic research. This follows BBC1’s Inside Out (West Midlands) feature about Action’s hate crime reporting centre, broadcast earlier this year. (3)
Seeing the capability of employees with sight loss
Talk Direct, one of the largest O2 franchises in the UK, is the latest recipient of Action’s ‘See the Capability, not the Disability’ award, recognising their commitment to a visually impaired Rotherham employee. Supporting media relations promoted the abilities of people with sight loss in the workplace and raised awareness of our employment support service. (3) Link to full story below:
https://www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/your-community/news/action/rotherham-o2-store-wins-award-from-action/
Action’s calendar stars become service ambassadors
Action’s blind and partially sighted calendar stars are telling their stories to the media in a campaign to promote our core services. June’s star was youngster Stephen Ball; his greatest achievement with Action’s transitions service was to team-up with a crew of visually impaired sailors to take to the seas in the London to Dorset Small Yacht Race. In July, it was Michael Church in the spotlight, promoting our Living with Sight Loss programme through his personal account of how one of these courses helped to transform his confidence. (3)
Living with Sight Loss and Finding Your Feet
A programme of training and courses to help people with sight loss to network and become more independent is being supported by a rolling Comms campaign. Helping to generate interest, enquiries and sign-ups, this quarter’s online and media coverage focused on Hampshire, Bristol and the Isle of Wight. (2 and 3)
Key Projects/Objectives
‘See the Capability, not the Disability’ employer awards
Action will continue to present these awards to deserving businesses, spreading positive messages about the abilities of, and opportunities for people with sight loss in the workplace (3)
Living with Sight loss and Finding Your Feet
A rolling programme of training and courses to help people with sight loss to network and become more independent, with on-going support from the Comms Team (3)
Lifestyle tips to reassure people concerned about sight loss
Action’s new lifestyle campaign – using top tips on posters and postcards to reassure people concerned about sight loss – will be expanded across England, subject to completion of successful trials in the South West. (2 and 3)
Organisation: Association of Optometrists (AOP)
Name of author of report: Anne Grenyer
Achievements
Optical Confederation conference
Practitioners, educators, policy-makers and industry heads from across optics gathered in London in May for the annual meeting of the Optical Confederation (OC). The meeting provided an opportunity for all elements of the profession to review the changes and achievements in the sector over the past 12 months and to discuss the financial, clinical and regulatory challenges which lie ahead. (1)
AOP Awards 2014
Nearly 7,000 votes were received in the first month for this year’s AOP Awards. All nominees have been sent new marketing materials, helping them to promote their nomination – and the importance of eye health – in their local community. (1)
NHS Call to Action
The AOP and Optometry Today (OT) - the journal of the AOP – promoted the NHS Call to Action on and offline. Video highlights include an interview with Mike Bewick and coverage at the Vision UK Conference in June. (1)
Promotion of the Which? consumer report
An OC press release was distributed in June to promote the recent Which? report on public satisfaction with eye health provision in the community. The survey revealed that local independent stores came top in the polls with a customer score of 88% with members-only store Costco coming second with a score of 86%. OC Chairman, Don Grocott, commented on the importance of an eye health examination. (1)
Key Projects/Objectives
AOP Awards 2014 – now in its fourth year, the AOP Awards will take place on 23 October. Voting is now open and will close on 31 August (1)
** colleagues are encouraged to take part in the public voting
Peer review roadshows – the AOP is running a series of peer review roadshows around the UK in October and November, approved for 3 interactive peer review CET points (1)
** please promote this event to colleagues
Back to school children’s campaign –the AOP’s children’s eye health campaign promotes the importance of children’s vision with a range of free materials, including posters, leaflets and presentations aimed at children and parents (1)
** please promote the campaign resources to those interested in children’s eye health
London Education Destination – the AOP, in partnership with SECO International, will host a 2-day CET seminar focusing on therapeutics and optometrist prescribing from 28-29 September (1)
** please promote this event to colleagues
National Optical Conference (NOC) - organised by the AOP on behalf of LOCSU and the Optical Confederation, the NOC is specifically organised for Local Optical Committees, optometrists, opticians and optometric advisors. The conference will take place on 23-24 October in Birmingham (1)
** please promote this event to colleagues
100% Optical – London’s new optical event, 100% Optical, returns next year on 7-9 February 2015 at London ExCeL (1)
** please promote this event to colleagues
Organisation: College of Optometrists
Name of author of report: Lindsay Heath
Achievements
- Updates to our Look After Your Eyes website – improving SEO and adding more patient information (1)
- Our Focus on Falls report was published this summer, encouraging optometrists and falls services teams to work together more closely. Various resources have also been made available to members (1 and 2)
- Involvement in promoting the NHS England Call To Action – contacting members for views and putting together a College response (2)
Key Projects/Objectives
- Developing more patient information leaflets (1)
- Developing more patient information tear-off pads (1)
- Starting work on a Health Inequalities project – looking at what services are available where and what is preventing people accessing treatment (1 and 2)
Organisation: Fight for Sight
Name of author of report: Heather Richardson
Key events/campaigns/reports
1. Clay Pigeon Shoot 12 September
2. Bike for Sight 14 September
3. Carrots NightWalk London 19 September
4. Carrots NightWalks in Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow 26 September – it has been decided due to a low number of sign-ups to Oxford not to go ahead with the event
5. 50th Anniversary in 2015
Achievements
1. Currently working with Rufus Leonard which is carrying out a strategic review of the charity
2. Awarded nine projects grants including; one clinical fellowship, one partnership grant and one early career investigator award totaling £2m
3. Funds for the April’s BBC Lifeline Appeal, presented by Judy Finnigan, currently stands at nearly £30k
4. We were named as Elizabeth Street Summer party’s COTY which raised £42k in June
5. Latest promotion with the Orrery restaurant saw diners make a voluntary £1 donation whilst they dined
6. Received £91k grant to fund Dr Rachael Pearson at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology from Masonic Samaritan Fund
7. Fight for Sight’s Warwickshire Golf Committee hosted its 20th golf day in July which is expecting to raise approximately £17k
Key Projects/Objectives
1. Carrots Nightwalk (19 and 26 Sept) website and media activities (1,2,3)
2. Preparations for 50th Anniversary (1,2,3)
3. National Eye Health Week Science Café talks (1,2,3)
4. Publication of horizon scan of treatments in pipeline for people with inherited retinal diseases (1,2,3)
Organisation: Macular Society
Name of author of report: Tim Goddard
Achievements
We have launched an ongoing campaign to raise awareness of Charles Bonnet Syndrome hallucinations. We conducted a survey of our membership which showed that the hallucinations can last longer and be more fear inducing than the general conscious in the medical profession. Using these results and case studies we have achieved national print and broadcast coverage, as well as extensive regional exposure. (1)
We have also launched a campaign called ‘Is it real?’ to highlight the link between smoking and sight loss. The campaign was aimed at children aged 11-14, using a series of intriguing and at times unsettling videos. The title of the campaign encourages people to find out more information from the supporting website www.is-it-real.org.
The campaign titled was chosen because it was a common question asked by the children in focus groups when they were given sim-specs. (1)
In June we allocated £450,000 to five clinical research projects. We have an ongoing dedication to fund clinical research and wish to expand this area of our work. (1) and (2)
We have held six Top Doctors seminars across the UK. These events provide our members with the most up to date information on treatments, research and low vision aids. Each event is attended by a local consultant, researcher and low vision professional. (3)
Key Projects/Objectives
We are going to extend the support we offer to friends and family of those affected by macular conditions. This will begin with additional information on our website and an online community specifically for this group. (1)
We have recently begun work on our annual Awards for Excellence scheme. Our members vote for eye care professionals or volunteers who they feel have provided exceptional care or dedication in their role. This project will continue into September. (3)
In September we will be holding our annual London Conference. In a similar format to our regional Top Doctors events, the conference provides the latest information on treatments, research and low vision aids. (3)
Due to their popularity, next year we will be increasing the number of Top Doctors seminars we hold. (3)
We will be producing an app to help raise awareness of macular conditions and how they affect a person’s vision. (1)
Organisation: Optical Confederation
Name of author of report: Ben Cook
Achievements
- Over the second quarter of 2014, the OC Public Affairs Team (PAT) helped to coordinate 9 MP visits to local optical practices. A practice visit took place on 4th July with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. MP quotes and photos from each visit can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/clkl592 (1 and 2)
- The OC called on UK practitioners to ask local European Election candidates to sign the European Coalition for Vision’s Manifesto before polls opened for the European Parliamentary Elections on 22nd May. The Manifesto is available here: http://www.ecvision.eu/manifesto/ (1,2 & 3)
- The OC issued a press release with the Local Optical Committee Support Unit (LOCSU) welcoming the Call to Action (CtA) on Eye Health and pointing members to a LOCSU briefing on the CtA(1,2 & 3) - http://tinyurl.com/pyamf27
- The Optical Confederation issued a press release welcoming the latest report from consumer magazine Which? on public satisfaction with eye health provision in the community. http://tinyurl.com/omykdu4 (1 & 2)
- The OC has produced a joint briefing ‘Delivering Primary Care in Your Community’ with the British Dental Association, Pharmacy Voice and the National Community Hearing Association for a joint exhibition stand at Labour and Conservative Party Conferences this autumn (1 and 2).
Key Projects/Objectives
- The OC PAT has one MP practice visit confirmed and is working with LOCs over the summer to secure more visits. (1 & 2)
- The OC has teamed up with the British Dental Association, Pharmacy Voice and the National Community Hearing Association for a joint exhibition stand at Labour and Conservative Party Conferences this autumn. A joint briefing has been produced entitled ‘Delivering Primary Care in Your Community’. (1 and 2)
- The OC will be responding to the CtA on Eye Health via a joint response with LOCSU and also as part of the Vision 2020 UK response. (1, 2 & 3)
- The OC PAT is working with road safety partners, including the Royal Sun Alliance, on a possible backbench business debate on eyesight and driving. (1 & 2)
- The OC is working with RNIB on the UKVS election manifesto. (1,2 & 3)
- The OC is working with the National Eye Health Week team on a possible Early Day Motion to celebrate the week (1, 2 & 3).
Organisation: RNIB Scotland
Name of author of report: Ian Brown
Achievements
RNIB Scotland, along with the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh and the Scottish sensory Centre, launched a new 40-minute dvd entitled ‘Let Me Play’ which aims to support the parents of children aged 5 and under with sight loss (2).
We took part in RNIB’s UK-wide ‘I Am Here’ campaign, highlighting too many people are still not being offered emotional and practical support when they start to go blind (2).
We are a key partner in formulating and launching a new locality plan with NHS Ayrshire & Arran, the three Ayrshire local authorities and Action on Hearing Loss Scotland to integrate sensory services across the entire region to offer a one-stop service (2).
Our Haggeye youth forum has to date held two ‘Education respect Awareness events, bringing together its members with older people with sight loss to compare experiences and discuss ways that they can help each other (3).
We published a manifesto for the EU elections in May and promoted this at a Europe Day stall in Glasgow’s George Square (3).