Susan Shippey on exciting new developments in vision impairment services
This month marks an exciting and important milestone for our sector. The Scottish Vision Services Steering Group has re-launched with a new name, a renewed purpose and an ambitious vision.
Now known as Vision Collaborative Scotland, our group of third sector partners is committed to transforming the future of vision impairment services across the country.
We believe the key to meaningful progress lies in both collaboration and listening. As the new chair of Vision Collaborative Scotland and newly appointed head of strategic partnerships at Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, I feel both proud and deeply responsible to help guide the direction of our sector at this critical moment.
People with vision impairment in Scotland face serious and often complex challenges. Support services are hard to access, and there aren't enough trained rehabilitation professionals. No single organisation can solve these issues on its own.
Vision Collaborative Scotland exists to bring together organisations from across the sector to amplify the voices of people with lived experience, identify shared priorities, and co-create sustainable solutions.
Alongside Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, our members include Guide Dogs, Visibility Scotland, RNIB Scotland, the Rehabilitation Workers Professional Network (RWPN), the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, Thomas Pocklington Trust, and now Visionary - the national network for local sight loss charities.
One of our first major steps is the Landscape Review to better understand the current state of adult vision impairment services in Scotland.
This review will identify what support is currently available, where it is provided, who delivers it and how it is resourced. For the first time, we will have a clear, evidence-based picture of community-based support across the country. This will help us understand where the gaps are, where there is duplication, and where pressure points are emerging. The findings will inform our own priorities and will also be made available publicly to support everyone working to improve the lives of people with vision impairment.
This work will be led by Birch Tree Associates who will be contacting all health and social care partnerships and vision impairment charities across Scotland this autumn, so please take some time to complete the survey which will truly benefit the vision impairment sector.
Workforce sustainability is another critical priority. There is an urgent need to train and retain professionals in vision rehabilitation. That is why we are working with the University of Strathclyde to develop a new training programme for rehabilitation workers. The course will include a one-year postgraduate certificate and a two-year postgraduate diploma, creating accessible routes into the profession. Thanks to support from the RS Macdonald Charitable Trust, part funded sponsorships will be available to help people already working in the Scottish visual impairment sector access the course.
The relaunch of Vision Collaborative Scotland is about more than just a new name. It is a renewed commitment to genuine partnership, shared learning and collective action. At the heart of our work is the belief that people with lived experience must be central to every decision we make. Policy and services cannot be designed in isolation or behind closed doors. Those who use them know better than anyone what works and what does not. Their insight must shape how support is designed, delivered and improved.
For more information in Vision Collaborative Scotland, please visit https://visioncollaborativescotland.org.uk/.
Susan Shippey is chair of Vision Collaborative Scotland and head of strategic partnerships at Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans.
