Today the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) responds to the Queen's Speech by urging the Government to make social care a bigger priority. RNIB, the UK's leading eye health and sight loss charity, will seek to engage constructively with the Government to ensure that the needs of blind and partially sighted people are recognised in legislative changes, particular in areas around social care, electoral registration and provision for children with special educational needs.
RNIB Chief Executive, Lesley-Anne Alexander, says: "Despite the Prime Minister's ambition for radical public service reform, at RNIB we believe the Government has missed an opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of many hundreds of thousands of disabled and older people in need of an effective social care system.
"The introduction of a draft Care and Support Bill simply creates further delay. It could be regarded as procrastination, given the extent of consultation and discussion that has already taken place between MPs of all political parties, social care professionals and those representing people in need of support from the social care system. RNIB joins the Care and Support Alliance in urging the Government to think again, and bring forward a Bill to sort out the growing crisis in our care system.
"We do welcome in principle plans to reform assessments and services for children and young people with special educational needs, but urge the Government to continue providing specialist support, for example through Qualified Teachers for children with visual impairments. We also believe that proposed legislation to reform voter registration offers a significant opportunity to make the whole voting process a lot more accessible for blind and partially sighted people."
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For further information or to arrange a media interview with an RNIB spokesperson, please contact RNIB Media Relations Team on 020 7391 2223 or email pressoffice@rnib.org.uk. Out of hours call 07968 482812.
Notes for Editors
RNIB will be following further policy announcements closely, as more detail of the Government's programme emerges. Areas of particular concern include:
About RNIB
Every day another 100 people in the UK will start to lose their sight. There are around two million people in the UK with sight problems. RNIB is the leading charity working in the UK offering practical support, advice and information for anyone with sight difficulties. If you, or someone you know, has a sight problem RNIB can help. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk.