RNIB says social services are slack over visual impairment

Visually impaired people are waiting too long
for support from social services in some areas.

Linda
Seru, assistant director of the Royal National Institute for the
Blind’s social exclusion unit, said: “You could be waiting weeks or
months and maybe years if you lose your sight in an accident.” She
said that many social services departments do not see providing
services for visually impaired people as a priority. There are no
statutory guidelines for social care staff on how to ensure
partially sighted people receive accessible services.

The
Association of Directors of Social Services is drawing up
guidelines, due to be issued later this year.

But
John Wood, chairperson of the National Association of Local
Societies for Visually Impaired People, said there were some
problems with members of primary care trusts regarding the ADSS
merely as a pressure group, and not taking the guidelines
seriously. PCTs are responsible for ensuring that primary care
services, such as GP clinics, are serving visually impaired
people.