1.      That the Director of Adult and Community Services be requested to ask the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust to undertake an evidence-based review of social care rehabilitation, including undertaking engagement with people with visual impairments, together with input from the Directors of Public Health and Children’s Services; and

2.      The review to cover sight loss specific support such as visual impairment rehabilitation and the provision of community equipment and minor adaptions, with completion of the Review expected by October 2024.

To respond to the Motion in respect of vision rehabilitation services.

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This decision will come into force and may be implemented on 26 February 2024 unless the call-in procedure is triggered (as set out in Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

The Cabinet considered the following motion in relation to vision rehabilitation services notice of which was given in accordance with Standing Order A14:

Vision Rehabilitation services should fully meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people.

Effective vision rehabilitation services are important, as advocated for by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Vision rehabilitation is provided as part of local authority tertiary prevention services, aimed at minimising the impact of an impairment, and supporting people to regain skills and manage or reduce need where possible. Good vision rehabilitation sessions provide crucial daily living and mobility skills, training blind or partially sighted people how to live in their homes safely and how to get out and about with confidence, offering lifesaving support at what can be a traumatic time in someone’s life. We must ensure not only that support is being routinely offered to people in a timely manner, but that the offer is fit for purpose.

Every person with sight loss should receive timely, fully effective vision rehabilitation whenever they need it.

The Cabinet are requested to instruct the Director of Adult and Community Services to review the vision rehabilitation services in Torbay, should the review highlight financial investment is required the Director of Adult and Community Services be requested to make recommendations to the Cabinet for consideration during the 2025/2026 budget process.

At the meeting Councillor Tranter proposed and Councillor Jackie Thomas seconded a motion that was agreed unanimously by the Cabinet, as set out above.

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