Improving services for people with low vision: an evaluation of the work of the Low Vision Services Committees

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Improving services for people with low vision an
evaluation of the work of the Low Vision Services
Committees

• Andrew Gibson, Research Fellow, Institute of
  Health, University of Warwick
• Professor Gillian Hundt, Institute of Health
• Dr Maria Stuttaford, University of St Andrews

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Growing awareness of the need for change in LV
Services

• Fragmented services
• Difficult to access
• Wide disparity in the quality and quantity of
  services
• Lack of information for those who would benefit
  from these services

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Origins of Low Vision Service Committees

• Consensus Conference held in March 1998,
  chaired by Lord Jenkin
• The Low Vision Services Consensus Group was set
  up
• Reported in 1999. Set standards and suggested LV
  Committees to implement them
• 11 in 1999, now 68 (March 2005)

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Focus of the evaluation

• The role and activities of the LVSC in terms of
  the development of new services
• The improvement of current services
• The role of service users and the development of
  joint working

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Evaluation design

• An analysis of policy documents and minutes of
  meetings
• Group and individual interviews with key
  stakeholders
• A questionnaire sent out to all LVSCs
• The selection of three regions West Midlands,
  London and the South West - to take part in a
  series of in-depth regional workshops

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Improving service user involvement (methods used)

• Ensuring that information is passed on to service
  users in an accessible format (81)
• Developing links with local service user groups
  (78)
• Involving service users in the mapping of
  services (78)
• Involving service users in planning local
  services (68)

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Barriers to service user involvement

• Service users do not know what they can expect
  from service providers
• They often have low expectations of services
• They lack the confidence to challenge service
  providers
• The term low vision covers a very broad range
  of people and problems.

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Promoting multi-agency working

• A majority of committees are actively working
  with one or more of the following service
  providers
• Social Services (92)
• PCTs (70)
• Hospital Services (86)
• The Voluntary Sector (70)
• Education Services (51)

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Barriers to promoting multi-agency working

• Conflicts between service users and service
  providers
• Conflicts between different service providers
• The important role of LVSC chairs

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Improving services

• Improving the dissemination of information about
  local services to the community (70)
• Developing links with optometrists based in
  primary care (65)
• Involvement in the National Eye Care Services
  Steering Group Pilot Projects

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Barriers to improving services

• 76 of LVSCs report that accessing funding has
  been the main difficulty they face in improving
  services
• 46 indicated that influencing the planning
  process is a major problem when attempting to
  improve services
• 41 reported that implementing a joint plan of
  action with service providers is another

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Strengths of LVSCs

• The range of expertise brought together by the
  committees
• The networking opportunities created
• The ability to jointly work with service users to
  plan local services and meet local needs
• Raising the profile of low vision services
  generally

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Challenges

• Accessing funding
• Widening the base of service user involvement
• Engaging key stakeholders

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Conclusion

• There is evidence that the LVSCs have made
  significant progress since their inception in
  1999
• However, a significant commitment from local and
  national statutory services is also needed if
  this progress is to be continued

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Further information

• Contact Mary Bairstow
• Low Vision Services Implementation58-72 John
  Bright StBirminghamB1 1BNTelephone 0121 665
  4248/49mary.bairstow_at_rnib.org.uk