Collaborating for people with sight loss

This week marks National Eye Health Week, 18 to 24 September 2023, and Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin is getting ready to launch a brand new learning resource for staff working in health and care services to help improve the lives of people living with sight loss. 

The ‘Understanding and Supporting People Living with Sight Loss e-learning’ is the result of collaboration between people with lived experience and sight loss experts and professionals.  

Claire Roberts, Local Eye Health Network Chair, said: “This has been a really incredible co-production journey, starting with conversations with people with lived experience of sight loss about what they think health and care professionals need to know to better support them. 

“This training is for people who may interact with people living with sight loss in their day-to-day work and those who provide specific eye care related services.  

“There are two levels to the training. The first is for those needing a basic understanding of the different conditions, their impact on people’s lives and how we can make small changes to services, so they are more accessible. The second is more in depth and provides information about where people can be signposted for support as they try to navigate their sight loss journey.” 

Josh Feehan, committee member of Sight Loss Shropshire, who was diagnosed with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy at 15, said: “Being involved in this project has enabled me to express what’s really important and what would have improved my experience of health and care services as well as the experience of other people living with sight loss.” 

Swantje Staar-Slogrove, from Sight Loss Shropshire, said: “This training module demonstrates that support for visually impaired people can be uncomplicated and easily accessible. From practical tips to help with technology, mobility or isolation – help is there. 

“Working in partnership to co-create this learning module has strengthened the link across local sight loss organisations and services and reflects the way we work together.” 

The training will soon be available on the local Learning Management System which is available to anyone working in health and care in the county.