Improving services for people with vision impairment
March 4, 2022
We investigated visual impairment rehabilitation services provided by Birmingham City Council, after people told us about their difficulties getting care and support for sight loss and visual impairment.
Following our initial report What challenges do people with sight loss face accessing vision rehabilitation services in Birmingham?, the council has now made the following changes in response to our recommendations:
- Recruited an additional Visual Impairment Rehabilitation Officer.
- Improved information, accessibility and navigation on the council’s website.
- Maintained regular contact with everyone on the sight loss register, including regular wellbeing checks for those receiving a care package during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Worked with Focus Birmingham and Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to develop additional information leaflets.
Read more in the full impact report.
Healthwatch Birmingham would like to thank Birmingham City Council, service users and third sector organisations including RNIB, Focus Birmingham, Macular Society and Thomas Pocklington Trust for their participation and involvement in this investigation.