Events

National Eye Health Week

Monday 14 June 2010 - Sunday 20 June 2010

Be a part of National Eye Health Week because Vision Matters!

For the first time ever the UK eyecare sector is joining forces with charities and healthcare professionals to launch National Eye Health Week, which will take place 14–20 June 2010.

Under the banner Vision Matters the campaign aims to communicate the importance of eye health and the need for regular sight tests to people from every walk of life.

Of the 1.8 million people in the UK living with sight loss, 53% could be helped with a simple sight test and new spectacles*.

Organisations across the UK are staging a whole range of activities to support the campaign. To see what you can do go to www.visionmatters.org.uk - the site contains useful eye health information and you can also find out what's going on and how to take part.

*Future Sight Loss UK (1): The economic impact of partial sight and blindness in the UK adult population, Access Economics PTY Ltd, June 200.

MPs and Peers to hear views of people with learning disabilities on their eye health needs

Tuesday 19 January 2010 from 1pm – 3pm, Church House in Deans Yard, Westminster

The Eye Health Alliance is supporting a unique event in Parliament where people with learning disabilities and their carers will be talking to MPs and Peers about their eye health needs. They will be joined by health and social care professionals, NHS managers and representatives from the Eye Health Alliance at the event on Tuesday 19 January 2010 from 1pm – 3pm.

One in three people with a learning disability have some form of sight problem and this listening event will highlight the difficulties of accessing care and treatment. This is a great opportunity for those people who have a learning disability and those who care and support them, to give their views and share their experiences of eye care services with parliamentarians.

The event is being hosted by SeeAbility, Mencap, RNIB and the Eye Health Alliance in association with the All Party Parliamentary Group for Eye Health and Visual Impairment and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Learning Disability. The event aims to address the issues around eye health needs and support of people with learning disabilities. In particular the event aims to examine the level of need for eye care services amongst this group of people, the barriers to accessing services, and what can be done to improve care and support for people with learning disabilities.

Heather Marshall, spokesperson for the Eye Health Alliance said:

"Eye health is important for everyone but for people who have difficulty communicating that they have a problem with their eyes, it is even more important to ensure that they have appropriate eye care and treatment. A person’s eyesight is often overlooked yet improving their eye health can make a huge difference to their quality of life and increase their independence."

If anyone is interested in finding out more about this event or would like to attend, please contact Heather Marshall on 020 7202 8157 or email heathermarshall@aop.org.uk

Eye Health Alliance Annual Parliamentary Reception

4pm – 6pm Monday 30th November 2009

Strangers' Dining Room, House of Commons

Rt Hon Kevin Barron MP, Chair of the Health Select Committee, invites you to the annual eye health parliamentary reception on Monday 30th November at 4pm in the Strangers' Dining Room.

Sight loss in the UK is set to double over the next 25 years unless decisive action is taken. There are over 2 million people in the UK at risk of losing their sight and the cost of blindness in the UK is currently at a staggering £5.5 billion. Yet around half of all sight loss is preventable or treatable. The eye care sector including eye health professionals, patient groups and statutory health bodies have worked together to develop the UK Vision Strategy which sets out a framework for improving eye health services over the next five years, including the need to improve awareness and understanding of eye health amongst the public. Building on from this, the eye care sector continues to need the support of parliamentarians and key stakeholders to help ensure that collectively we deliver the aims of the strategy.

To further emphasise the importance of the UK Vision Strategy and its call for joined-up action to improve the eye health of people across the UK, we will be showing a short video. This emotional glimpse into the lives of people with sight loss highlights the problems that persist and explains why you should join us and take action. To RSVP please email: sarahlapham@aop.org.uk

Party Conference Fringe Events

'Buy Now, Pay Later?'

Liberal Democrat: Monday 21 September, 12.45 – 14.00pm, Durley Room BIC

Greg Mulholland MP, Shadow Minister for Health

Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce MP - Chair

Professor Steve Field, Chairman, Royal College of General Practitioners

Stanley Freed, Music Co-ordinator, University of the Third Age, London

Anita Lightstone, UK Vision Strategy

Greg Mulholland MP

Labour: Monday 28 September, 7.45am – 9.15am, Osborne Room, Hilton Brighton Metropole

Phil Hope MP, Health Minister

Doug Naysmith MP - Chair

Jackie Ashley, Guardian Columnist and Political Interviewer

Professor Steve Field, Chairman Royal College of General Practitioners

Phil Hope MP

Professor Steve Field and Doug Naysmith MP

Conservative: Wednesday 7 October, 18.15 – 19.30pm, Marquee 2, GMex

Health Spokesperson (TBC)

Dale Bassett, Senior Researcher, Reform – Chair

Dr Paul Charlson, Chairman, Conservative Medical Society

Andrew Hawkins, Chief Executive, ComRes

Conservative Party conference fringe event

The Eye Health Alliance is hosting a joint fringe event with RNID and ABPI entitled, 'Buy Now, Pay Later?' This fringe event will highlight the importance of investment in prevention and early detection in areas such as vision and hearing services, specifically in relation to an ageing population as the demand this demographic places on the NHS continues to rise. The meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss how preventative measures such as early intervention and early treatments can help meet the pressures of treating an ageing population and secure the long term financial stability of the NHS. We look forward to openly debating the recent progress that has been made in prevention and intervention measures and potential next steps forward. Furthermore, we hope to conclude that rather than a situation of 'buy now, pay later', screening and early intervention will lead to buying now and saving later.

Royal College of Nursing Congress

11 May 2009 - 14 May 2009

The RCN Congress has been the Eye Health Alliance's first conference of the year, which took place in Harrogate. We had a stand in the main exhibition hall with a fundus camera and some mobile equipment on the stand to demonstrate to nurses the wide range of services provided by optometrists and dispensing opticians.

Nurses often come into contact with patients who have not had a recent sight test, therefore educating them about the importance of eye health and regular sight tests is essential to ensure early detection and appropriate care.