Louise Gow is RNIB’s Clinical Lead for Eye Health, Optometry and Low Vision Services. She says:
“It is crucial to ensure the unique needs of blind and partially sighted people, as well as those awaiting or receiving a diagnosis of a sight-threatening condition, are fully understood and addressed.
“RNIB is delighted to launch the Adult Low Vision Service Quality Framework. The development of this framework is a culmination of years of collaborative work with our cross-sector partners. The ten-part framework sets out the criteria agreed as a group which reflect high quality care in the provision of a low vision service. The framework and accompanying guidelines can be used by all models of low vision service as a benchmark with which to evaluate the care they provide. It can also be used by commissioners and service providers when setting up a new service.”
Increasingly, optometrists are providing delivery of diagnostics and treatments in primary care settings, to reduce the burden on hospital eyecare services.
Louise continues:
“The Low Vision Framework is embedded within RNIB’s wider work on the Eye Care Support Pathway, which details why we need to integrate non-clinical support into existing eye care pathways. This was launched in conjunction with our sector partners at the end of last year.
“We would like to extend our gratitude to the College of Optometrists, and the individual College members that were involved, for their support in the development of this vital piece of work. Their expert advice, both from a clinical and policy perspective, has been crucial in ensuring that the final criteria set out are robust, yet achievable for low vision services across the UK.”