Major sight loss charity appoints former nurse to its top job

Campbell Chalmers has been appointed as the new director of sight loss charity, the Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland.

Chalmers, who has worked in healthcare and the voluntary sector for 30 years, will take up his new post on 18 April. He was previously a director for the charity Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, and more recently worked as a stroke nurse consultant in NHS Lanarkshire. Initially, he trained as a nurse in learning disabilities and adult nursing.

I am delighted to be joining the RNIB Scotland team to work with members and staff to support children, young people and adults with sight loss to live full and independent lives

An advisor for the Scottish Government and a member of the Heart Disease and Stroke Cross Party Group at the Scottish Parliament, Chalmers also led the development of a Stroke Visual Pathway in Lanarkshire for people who experience eye problems after a stroke. He also serves as an honorary lecturer at Glasgow University.

"I am delighted to be joining the RNIB Scotland team to work with members and staff to support children, young people and adults with sight loss to live full and independent lives, and work with others to help minimise preventable sight loss," Chalmers said on news of his appointment.

Sandra Wilson, chair of RNIB Scotland, added: "We are delighted that Campbell Chalmers is taking up this post as our new director. Campbell comes with a wealth of experience in the Scottish health field and his expertise will be hugely advantageous in ensuring that we prevent sight loss wherever possible, and make our society a better, more inclusive place for those who are blind or partially sighted."

There are over 180,000 people in Scotland living with significant sight loss, a figure which the charity warns will increase due to our ageing population unless steps are taken to contain the rise.

Chalmers replaces John Legg, who stood down as the director of RNIB Scotland last year after disagreeing with UK bosses over a restructure of RNIB Scotland.