Vision UK 2016 encourages expanding horizons to meet the challenges ahead
17 June 2016
The eighth annual Vision UK conference took place in London on the 14 June. ‘Vision UK 2016: Expanding Horizons’ pushed the boundaries for implementing the UK Vision Strategy nationally by engaging new audiences and encouraging broader collaborations.
The conference programme reflected the changing eye health and sight loss service landscape including the continuing pressure on social care budgets and on the health sector. For the first time, the conference collaborated with Diabetes UK and Age UK to increase support for implementing the Strategy outcomes, to work together to find solutions to the challenges ahead.
Conference chair, Professor Carrie MacEwen, President of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and Vision Strategy Leadership Group member said:
“The Vision UK conference provides an opportunity for the eye health and sight loss sectors to come together, to hear about new ways of working and to broaden their networks. By working together we can achieve so much more than we can by working alone.”
It was also announced at the conference by Lesley-Anne Alexander, CBE, that the Vision Strategy Leadership Group has commissioned NCVO Charities Evaluation Services to evaluate the UK Vision Strategy, and explore opportunities for its future development.
Lesley-Anne Alexander CBE, CEO RNIB and Chair of the Vision Strategy Leadership Group said:
“We must ensure the UK Vision Strategy is fit for the future and that we capitalise on opportunities and levers for change. Over the next 6 months, we will be taking stock of the achievements of the UK Vision Strategy. We will be seeking to understand what has worked and what has not worked so well, and we will be consulting extensively with a wide range of stakeholders to learn how we can make the UK Vision Strategy ever more relevant and effective in today’s world.”