Vision Friends training programme
- Area of Work: The ALLIANCE
- Type: News Item
- Published: 30th August 2021
RNIB launch a pilot programme for early intervention and prevention training to support staff working with older people.
RNIB’s Older People and Complex Needs team and Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership have worked together to plan, deliver and pilot a new early intervention and prevention model of training delivery called Vision Friends to staff within Edinburgh who support older people.
Following a successful pilot in Wales, this was the first Vision Friends (VF) programme in Scotland to be delivered and we hope to roll out further courses in the near future. The participants were from various teams across Edinburgh who provide support to older people in their own home or in sheltered housing.
Susan Shippey is the Strategic Planning and Commissioning Officer and See Hear Lead with Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership. “I have been delighted to work together with RNIB’s Older People and Complex Needs Team to train the first cohort of Vision Friends in Scotland,” Susan said. “The training was expertly delivered and organised, with great support offered to staff through the SharePoint and monthly follow up meetings.”
“Having Vision Friends working within Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership means that more people with sight loss will be recognised, supported and connected to specialist services, delivering the See Hear strategy ambition of a seamless, high quality sight loss service.”
The aim of the pilot training programme was to create a network of Vision Friends in Edinburgh and provide them with the skills and knowledge to help identify, understand and support older people living with sight loss. The learning from its evaluation, combined with the findings from the Welsh project, will inform its rollout by RNIB across the rest of the UK.
RNIB hope to deliver further Vision Friends training programmes across the UK and would be interested in hearing from any organisations who would like more information. They hope to have the training package on cpduk.co.uk (this link will take you away from our website) for any health and social care professionals to apply for access for their continuing professional development. A Train the Trainer programme is the next planned development to continue the offer to reach many more health and social care professionals.
If you wish to find out more information about Vision Friends courses, please contact RNIB Older People and Complex Needs team on 0141 739 3682 or by emailing olderpeopleandcomplexneeds@rnib.org.uk (this link will take you away from our website).
End of page.
You may also like:
Companions of blind and partially sighted people can now travel for free on ScotRail trains.
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE welcomes the homecare medicines review to improve care for those who need it.
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE wants to hear about your communication experiences
Continue readingRead a statement from our Chief Officer, Sara Redmond, on the recent social security announcement from the UK government.
Continue readingThe conference celebrates the range of work developed as part of Collective Advocacy facilitated by CAPS.
Continue readingThe £1m Commissioning Fund is a pivotal resource within the FORTH2O project, designed to spark investment.
Continue readingCould you help shape the future of Human Rights in Scotland? Apply to join the SNAP2 Leadership Panel
Continue readingVisit the Defib finder website to find the defibrillators closest to you.
Continue readingScottish Recovery Network are hosting a series of workshops on peer support in suicide prevention across Scotland this April.
Continue readingHave your say on what you would like to see from a future Contact Scotland BSL service.
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE and Scottish Government have produced several resources on heathy aging, in support of the Women's Health Plan.
Continue readingApril is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, a fantastic annual opportunity to raise awareness of bowel cancer.
Continue readingThe UN ICESCR Committee has issued its recommendations and several reflect points made by the ALLIANCE and our members.
Continue readingEPI-SCOT aims to understand how knowing the cause of a young person’s epilepsy might lead to more effective treatments.
Continue readingThe report states that community health and social care finances are increasingly precarious, and encourages IJBs to work with partners.
Continue readingThis year has seen continued growth in membership, reach and impact, through our delivery of a diverse range of programmes,
Continue readingCarers Scotland launches their State of Caring in Scotland 2024 research report.
Continue readingThe ALISS team is delighted to announce the launch of ALISS Analytics, a new tool designed to provide easy access to valuable data on ALISS.
Continue readingThe Digital Citizen Panel is pleased to share the first member spotlight, highlighting member Pasna Sallis and her work with older adults
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE responds to the Equality, Human Rights, and Civil Justice Committee's inquiry into the the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Continue readingRaise awareness and support history making for the Deaf Community in Fife.
Continue readingEvery Tuesday the Discover Digital team at the ALLIANCE shares a free and trusted digital tool that supports health and wellbeing.
Continue readingOur response calls for a human rights based approach to outcomes, and to consider how to strengthen the SHRC.
Continue readingResearchers at the University of Strathclyde want to hear your opinions about what the hospitals of the future should look and feel like
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE are establishing a peer network to connect professionals working in Glasgow who are passionate about digital inclusion.
Continue reading