Highland MSP backs call for 'rehabilitation' funding
Thousands of vulnerable people will be failed if NHS Highland refuses proper funding for a rehabilitation service aiding adults and children with blindness and impaired vision in the Highlands.
The grim prediction comes from a charity called Sight Action, whose team of rehabilitation officers have been delivering support to more than 2700 blind and low sighted people since 2008 under contract to the health board.
Sight Action executive manager Gillian Mitchell said it will not be bidding to renew its contract next month because the health board is unwilling to adequately meet service funding needs. She believes the health board’s intention is to take the service in-house and says this move would be fraught with danger.
“The next thing we’re going to hear is blind folk walking out in front of buses, or not leaving the house at all.,” she said.
“These people, especially when they reach they stage of having to use the long cane, need specialist help. An occupational therapy support worker is not going to be able to do the same level of assessment as one of our fully-trained rehabilitation officers, all of whom hold academic degrees in low vision and blindness.
"These people need a qualified rehabilitation officer to teach them mobility, to teach them independent living skills. We are deeply concerned about this because we know they’re endangering themselves if they don’t get this proper help.”
Sight Action have been delivering their statutory rehab and support services to blind and visually impaired people for more than11 years through a service level agreement with NHS Highland.
Mrs Mitchell said its quarterly report showed it had “once again” fulfilled its service level agreement with more than 90 per cent client satisfaction.
But efforts to persuade NHS Highland to deliver a significant uplift in funding needed to continue running the service had proved fruitless, she added.
Highland Labour MSP Rhoda Grant, who is supporting the group, said: “It is shocking that NHS Highland is treating organisations which provide a statutory service in such an appalling way. This has put these services and their local providers in jeopardy and it will have a huge impact on the wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable people in Highlands and Islands. I would urge NHS Highland to take another look at its funding plan immediately.
"I have raised this issue with the health secretary Jeanne Freeman and I am in close dialogue with NHS Highland. I will be keeping this high on my agenda.”
