See, Plan and Provide

All councils in England provide a service called vision rehabilitation which offers crucial training and advice to people with sight loss.

Evidence shows that many blind and partially sighted people are failing to receive vital vision rehabilitation support. According to the latest research the benefits of good vision rehabilitation avoids more than three times the cost of these services. Our current campaign, See, Plan and Provide, is calling for improved access to vision rehabilitation assessments and support.

Thanks to our fantastic supporters, many councils are becoming more aware of the value of vision rehabilitation.

Now, with councils currently considering their budgets for the coming year, there is an urgent opportunity to ensure that vision rehabilitation services are given the right resources to see, plan and provide:

• See: everyone with a visual impairment must receive a specialist face to face assessment.
• Plan: everyone must have a plan in place, identifying the outcome of their assessment. The first two steps must take place within 28 days of first contact with the local authority.
• Provide: any agreed vision rehabilitation support must start within 12 weeks of the person’s initial contact with the local authority.

Our 'Spotlight' series highlights good practice of local authorities when it comes to vision rehabilitation. Read about Durham County Council's Sensory Service: Spotlight on Vision Rehabilitation Durham (178.12 KB)

Find out all about the vital role a Vision Rehabilitation Officer plays by checking out our Diary of a Vision Rehabilitation Officer.