Gloucester has new Vision Care for Homeless People clinic

Gloucester has new Vision Care for Homeless People clinic

Vision Care for Homeless People is to open a new weekly clinic in the middle of Gloucester, with funding provided by Gloucestershire CCG and supported by the Local Optical Committee.

This, the ninth Vision Care for Homeless People clinic in England, will be housed within the Rikenel Health Centre which provides care for the city’s homeless community. Equipped to NHS standards, much of the technology has been provided by the Hakim Group, which has several practices in the area.

Karen Gennard, (left in picture) a local optometrist who has worked for Norville for many years, is the new clinic manager and is keen to open the doors.

“We know that homeless people don’t always have easy access to health services and as we will be in the same building as GPs and nurses caring for the homeless community we are expecting to have many referrals. Research by Vision Care for Homeless People has found that around 70% of homeless people need glasses for some aspect of their vision and 10% of patients seen are referred to hospital for other ocular conditions. We are expecting to be busy,” she said.

The Norville (20/20) lab is taking on the glazing work for the new clinic and additional supplies are being donated by Bondeye and Mainline.

The clinic is now looking for volunteers and for a team-lead who will oversee fundraising. Please contact: karen.gennard@vchp.org.uk