This template Council Motion from RNIB calls for better Vision Rehabilitation services within your council.
Vision Rehabilitation provides those with a sight loss diagnosis essential skills to enjoy life – such as living safely in their home, cope with work tasks differently and get out and about with confidence.
The 2014 Care Act places a responsibility on Local Authorities to prevent, reduce and delay the need for care and offer a timely assessment whenever there is a need for support. However research from RNIB has shown that Vision Rehabilitation is an often overlooked and under-resourced council duty:
- Only 56% of blind and partially sighted people surveyed have received vision rehabilitation support. 35% had not received any support. 58% of those who did not receive support were not aware support was available.
- Many who receive support do not feel it adequately addresses their needs. Of those surveyed only 43% feel confident moving around outdoors, 42% feel confident moving around indoors and just 28% feel they can travel independently, even after receiving support.
Visual Rehabilitation is the only Adult Social Care service not over seen by the Care Quality Commission.
The RNIB template council motion calling for better Vision Rehabilitation services on your council is below.
Vision Rehabilitation services should fully meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people.
Council notes the importance of effective vision rehabilitation services, as advocated for by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
Vision rehabilitation is provided as part of local authority tertiary prevention services, aimed at minimising the impact of an impairment, and supporting people to regain skills and manage or reduce need where possible. Good vision rehabilitation sessions provide crucial daily living and mobility skills, training blind or partially sighted people how to live in their homes safely and how to get out and about with confidence, offering lifesaving support at what can be a traumatic time in someone’s life. Council believes we must ensure not only that support is being routinely offered to people in a timely manner, but that the offer is fit for purpose.
Council believes that every person with sight loss should receive timely, fully effective vision rehabilitation whenever they need it.
Council resolves to:
- · Resource an effective, modernised vision rehabilitation service.