Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, has joined forces with the RNIB to back their campaign for everyone diagnosed with sight loss to receive emotional support to come to terms with their condition.

Catherine attended the recent Parliamentary launch of The Royal National Institute of Blind People’s (RNIB) new report ‘Being There When it Matters’, which calls for every eye department in the UK to have access to a qualified sight loss adviser so that people are properly supported as they adapt to life with reduced or no vision. The current picture is bleak, with only 30% of eye departments in the UK having access to a qualified sight loss adviser.

The Newcastle MP attended the event in Westminster having recently met with North Kenton RNIB campaigner, Hazel Slater, to discuss the challenges facing people locally with sight loss.

Catherine heard how sight loss advisers offer dedicated practical and emotional support – providing advice on everything from remaining in employment, to being more independent around the home and reducing the risk of falls whilst out and about. Recent research has revealed that sight loss advisers create significant financial savings for health and social care budgets, with every £1 invested in the service delivering a return of £10.57.

The campaign comes as a new survey, commissioned by RNIB, reveals that 44% of UK adults said they feared losing their sight more than any other long-term health condition.

Catherine said:

‘Sight loss can clearly have a profound impact upon every aspect of a person’s life, and it’s vital that they receive good quality and timely support to help them adapt.

‘Without the right support in place, people can become unnecessarily isolated and their sight loss can have a far greater impact than needs to be the case. I’m pleased to back the RNIB’s campaign on this important issue.’