Setting Standards

Demanding the best in low vision

services

Mary Bairstow

Low Vision Steering Group

Thursday May 8th 2008

Standards in Low Vision

• What a history (a reminder)

• What standards?

• And young people?

Low Vision Services Implementation

• Late 1990’s • More and better services• Low vision report• Suggests Low Vision

Services Committees

• Late 1990’s • More and better

services• Low vision report• Sets standards and

suggests lvsc’s as a means to change

• Sets standards

2000 - 2008

• 79 LVSCs

(Wiltshire the newest)

Setting standards

• Get everyone around the table• Identify what needs to be done

(then …. make plans about how to do it…….work with local commissioners

(PCTs , social care and education)

• Monitor

So why the negativity?

“Low vision committees are struggling to make an impact. They're very useful for sharing information and getting services talking to one another but beyond that you achieve nothing or very little. And engaging whether it's the PCTs or local authority health partnerships - if you can't engage with them you get nowhere. Low vision is not a priority”.

BBC ‘In Touch’ programme - Nalsvi Conference July 2007

But what vision

• 1/4 of service providers admit their services less than satisfactory or unsatisfactory AMD Alliance 2006

and………

• Service users do not know what they can expect from service providersLow Vision Project National Evaluation Report 2005

plus………….

• Some LVSCs lack clarity about their purpose (despite the clear remit given in the 1999 Report)Low Vision Project National Evaluation Report 2005

Seeking a solution?

How you would you recognise a good service?

Making them work

• 1999 - Voluntary sector recommendations, Foreword - Frank Dobson

• 2007 - Recommended by the DH, endorsed by LVSG

Ideally -What status

• DH or Voluntary Sector or ?

• Any one else?

1999 standards

• Who, where, what, when, continued support and monitoring services…..– Not clinical parameters– Close to home– Eye exam…. to certification … to vision

enhancement training……...– Within 6 weeks– Returning as required– Monitored

New standards

6 Headings

• Design Principles• Referral, assessment and service• Information• Service improvement, monitoring and evaluation

of the service• Training• Communication

What’s new?

• Emphasis on ‘booking of appointments’

• Reference to service being refused

• Notes on CRB checks

• Single contact point (though this is mentioned as an LVSC aim)

• Directions for commissioners

What’s been lost?

• Notion of implementation or governance ( LVSCs )

• Sense of ‘the essential’ • Some specifics - Transport

- Issues of geography

Issues - young people

• Identifying needs

• Registration, statements…baseline referral criteria

• Child specific visual function - ‘plasticity’ 3D vision, binocular vision, accommodation, etc…….

• Time lines - birth, childhood, adolescence, transitions

• Commissioning - Children’s Trusts, role of personalised budgets, minority v majority

• Training

• Participation - self advocated care

• Co-ordination

Why is it timely ?

• UK Vision Strategy

• Department of Health Commissioning

Toolkit for Community Eye Care Services

The task

Setting a standard for Children

Today • Have a vision• Engage in debate• Establish what’s needed - consensus approach

Tomorrow +• Support the LVSG Children’s Sub• Publicise• Debate

Thank You for Listening

You can find me at

M.Bairstow@vision2020uk.org.uk

Website www.lowvision.org.uk