We are absolutely delighted to be buddying up with the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) to support them with their aim to ensure no one faces sight loss without support.

The RNIB is the UK’s leading sight loss charity and dedicated to ensuring equality for blind and partially sighted people by equipping them to live the life they want to lead and breaking down the barriers they face. Over the past three years the RNIB have transformed their services, which provide life changing support to people living with sight loss. Most recently, the challenges coronavirus presented meant services were needed more than ever across the areas where you practice.

The RNIB are on a journey that will help realise their vision of creating a world where blind and partially sighted people can live the life they want to lead.

What are we doing?

Sight loss currently affects 2 million people and is expected to double to nearly 4 million in the next 30 years. Due to an ageing population most of us will know someone impacted and adjusting to sight loss in our lifetime. It’s hard to believe that just 17% of people impacted by sight loss receive the support they need, which means that they could be missing out on services that can make the world of difference.

The RNIB are on a mission to improve knowledge and processes so that people with sight loss get the emotional support and advice they need, just when they need it. Be it practical help or emotional support it is essential that every person who is diagnosed with sight loss has access to the essential services that RNIB and other agencies have to offer.

We have teamed up with the RNIB to help them achieve their aim. We believe that nobody experiencing sight loss should be alone. Whether it be at initial diagnosis or further down the line, everybody with sight loss should be offered support and be aware of how the RNIB can help.

The RNIB have developed “Sight loss Awareness” training which is aimed at all team members in primary care optometry practice. No matter what your role in practice, the training will take you along an appropriate pathway which will inform you about topics such as understanding eye conditions that lead to sight loss and how it impacts vision, top tips on how to assist people with sight loss when in your practice, services offered by RNIB and how to refer, basic of low vision and many more. We are extremely fortunate in that the RNIB have launched this with the Hakim Group.

We shall be hosting two 45-minute launch events for you to understand more about the work of the RNIB and the launch of the “Sight Loss Awareness” training”. 

These shall be on:

· Monday 3rdOctober at 9:30am and

· Tuesday 4thOctober at 7:30pm

The events shall be co-hosted by Claire Slade, Head of Professional Advancement and Governance and Preeti Singla, RNIB Optometry and Low Vision Engagement Manager (with also some special guests).

The launch events and training are aimed at all team members in practice.

Please book onto one of these events by CLICKING HERE and once completed you will be sent a confirmation email with a link to join the relevant video conference on the date you have selected.

Please book in advance so that we know who’ll be joining us.

Watch this space for more information on how to sign up to the training, once the launch events start on the 3rd October.

If you have any questions, then please contact Claire Slade directly on claireslade@hakimgroup.co.uk

Please find a hard copy of the details: