Sir Gavin Williamson attended a Parliamentary drop-in event organised by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), to back the call for an end to unacceptable wait times for essential support after people are diagnosed with a sight condition.
At the event, Gavin met blind and partially sighted people, professional vision rehabilitation specialists, and RNIB staff as well as ambassadors to hear experiences of local authority support and the need to ensure tailored help is delivered in a timely manner.
New research by RNIB shows that the vision rehabilitation support provided by local authorities including essential white-cane training, cooking and technology skills, has become an underfunded service across England.
RNIB Chief Executive Officer Matt Stringer said: “Too many people feel that their life is on pause while they wait for the services they are entitled to. But with the right support and equipment people can live confidently and independently.
“Losing your sight does not mean you have to stop doing what you love. We are grateful to Sir Gavin for joining us today to add weight to our call for action.”
Sir Gavin said:” It is crystal clear to me that this service is vital to supporting those with sight loss in Staffordshire retain their independence in carrying out everyday tasks including cooking, navigating transport, and thriving in the workplace.
“I welcomed the opportunity to meet with RNIB staff as well as partially sighted people to further understand the vital importance of vision rehabilitation services.
“I am calling on the Health Secretary to commit to ensuring blind and partially sighted people get the emotional and practical support they need, when they need it most.”
