communicating the uk vision strategy uk vision strategy - a vision 2020 uk initiative, led by rnib

Communicating the UK Vision Strategy

UK Vision Strategy - a VISION 2020 UK initiative, led by RNIB


- What is the UK Vision Strategy? Who is involved and what are the aims?The launch of the Strategy

- The Communications Group and our key activitiesThe Guardian Society supplementSpecialist and trade mediaThe news story

- The role of the VISION 2020 Communications GroupWhat you can doHow we can helpLooking to the future

- Any questions?

What is the UK Vision Strategy?


The UK Vision Strategy addresses shortfalls in the UK’s eye health and sight loss services by setting out a framework for development. It also addresses widespread ignorance and apathy about eye health.

It is a response to the World Health Assembly Resolution of 2003, which urged the development and implementation of plans to tackle vision impairment, now known as VISION 2020 plans. The UK government pledged support for the resolution. But it has been a coalition of health and social care bodies, voluntary organisations, eye health professionals and service users who have made it a reality.

Who is involved?


EveryoneIndividuals and organisations from across the eye health and sight loss sector, service users and blind and partially sighted people have all contributed to the development of the strategy - and that is it’s key strength.

In addition over 600 individuals and organisations fed back on the draft consultation document.

The Strategic Advisory Group–Lesley-Anne Alexander, chief executive, RNIB, Chair of the SAG–Nick Astbury, consultant ophthalmologist/Royal College of Ophthalmologists–Rosie Auld, chairman, British and Irish Orthoptic Society–Mike Brace, chief executive, VISION 2020 UK–Anne Bristow, corporate director of adult and community services - Barking and Dagenham, Policy lead on Sensory Impairment for ADASS–Bob Hughes, Eye Health Alliance/chief executive, Association of Optometrists–Stephen Remington, chief executive, Action for Blind People–Malcolm Swinburn, former chair, NALSVI–Bridget Warr, chief executive, The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association–Jo Webber, deputy policy director, NHS Confederation

What are the aims of the UK Vision Strategy?


The UK Vision Strategy aims to:

- Improve the eye health of the people of the UK

- Eliminate avoidable sight loss and deliver excellent support to those with a visual impairment

- Enhance the inclusion, participation and independence of blind and partially sighted people.

Launching the UK Vision Strategy


The UK Vision Strategy will be launched at a conference in central London on Friday 18 April.

The conference is aimed at professionals working in charities, health, social care and anyone involved in commissioning or providing services used by blind and partially sighted people.

User involvement has been at the heart of the UK Vision Strategy from the start, so service users and people with personal experience of sight loss are also encouraged to register for a place at the conference.

The Communications Group


Who we areVicky Bell - The Guide Dogs for the Blind AssociationHeather Marshall - Eye Health AlliancePetra Maxwell - Action for Blind PeopleChristina Nicolaidou - RNIBYashoda Sutton - RNIB

Our objectiveTo use the correct media to reach key professional groups whose work touches the lives of blind and partially sighted people and those who can play a vital role in maintaining the eye health of the nation.

Summary of activity


- A supplement commissioned with Guardian Society, which will be published on 23 April

- articles in specialist and trade media, specifically targeted to reach key professionals with the right message

- a news story for the launch of the UK Vision Strategy

- support for other members of VISION 2020 to communicate the key messages of the Strategy to their audience groups.

The Guardian supplement


This gives us an unparalleled opportunity to reach decision-makers and professionals with detailed information from a trusted source they are already familiar with.

Society appears in Wednesday's paper - the best read issue after Saturday - with 1.2 million readers! Crucially, Society is read by health and social care professionals, decision-makers and budget holders - exactly the people we need to engage.

The supplement will also be in Guardian Society Online, which has 40,000 unique readers each month. It will stay on the Guardian's website indefinitely and we can use it as a permanent online resource to signpost people to in future.



The aim of the supplement is to bring to life the issues raised by the UK Vision Strategy, rather than being about the document itself.

It contains a range of information and asks the questions:

- why are eye health and sight loss seemingly a low priority amongst the general public, UK governments and health and social care professionals?

- why aren’t health and social care services joined up?

- how is society ‘disabling’ blind and partially sighted people?

- what are we getting right?



A wide range of people from various organisations, including those on the SAG, were interviewed or provided information for the supplement. The content will reflect the great breadth of the organisations involved and the huge scope of the Strategy.

As well as being online, copies of the supplement will be available in large print, audio and braille.

To note:We supplied The Guardian with a detailed brief and have worked very closely with them, however The Guardian retains full editorial control and will make the final decision on content.

Specialist and trade media


The UK Vision Strategy covers eye health and all those issues which touch on the lives of blind and partially sighted people, so we have a lot to communicate.

These articles will cover what the Strategy says and what this means for each target group.

Targets include:

- blind and partially sighted people- optometrists - ophthalmologists - general medical/clinical professionals - social care/social services - transport and mobility professionals

- designers of the built environment - children and parenting magazines- education professionals - disability organisations- the charity sector- leisure and culture providers - employers and HR professionals

The news story


The UK is one of the richest nations in the world, yet it is failing its citizens because the provision of eye health and sight loss services is unfit to meet current and future needs. - Too many people do not understand the impact their lifestyles and health conditions have on their sight. - There is limited public health information available.- Too many people are living with sight loss that could have been avoided through earlier detection or treatment. - Too many people who have lost some or all of their sight do not receive support to deal with the emotional trauma of sight loss or manage basic every day tasks. - Despite legislation, discrimination throughout society excludes blind and partially sighted people, often because of ignorance of the impact of sight loss.

The news story


But … who cares? Why is this news?

Our challenge is to bring the story to life and show that this is something that impacts on us all.

Sight is the sense the general public most fear losing, yet our governments are failing to prioritise it and they are failing those who are blind or partially sighted.

With an ageing population, and sight loss set to double by 2020, the UK Vision Strategy presents an urgent call to action for governments, professionals and individuals.

The communications role of VISION 2020 members


It is essential that we reach all our stakeholders.

They need to know:

- There is a UK Vision Strategy! - What it is calling for? - What does this mean to me?

Each of you has a role to play in delivering these messages.

There is no point in having a strategy if people are not aware and engaged with it.

What you can do


Use your websiteMake sure there is a page about the UK Vision Strategy on your website.

Have a front page story about the launch on April 18.

Your publicationsInclude articles about the UK Vision Strategy. Who has been involved from your organisation? How will it impact on your audiences?

Could you hold a face to face event or roadshow?Are there events coming up where you could arrange a speaker and discussion about the UK Vision Strategy?

Are you able to put a special event on? Remember to tell the group about it, so we can mention it on our websites.

What you can do


The Guardian supplementMake sure that a link to the supplement is clearly visible on your website and include details on how to get it in other formats.

Are you able to distribute copies of the supplement?

Case studiesWe need great stories to bring the issues covered in the UK Vision Strategy to life. Do you know any people with a story to tell. Or any examples of good practise that we should be highlighting?

How we can help


We can email you copy for your website and when The Guardian supplement goes online, we will send you a link.

We will email you key messages for internal magazines and quotes from SAG members, which you can use.

We will send you the news story on the day of the launch, which can be used online or in print.

If you want additional information, are looking for a speaker for an event or have any questions, just get in touch.

Looking to the future


This is where the real work starts!

Following the launch, communications will be needed to support the implementation plans across the countries and regions.

We need to continue to inform people of the direction of the Strategy and it’s successes.

Members of the VISION 2020 communications group will be instrumental in ensuring that the momentum of the UK Vision Strategy is not lost and that communications continue to play a key role in changing the status and perception of eye health and sight loss in the UK.

Questions?


What have we missed?

Is there anything you’d like to know more about?

Any other questions?

communicating the uk vision strategy uk vision strategy - a vision 2020 uk initiative, led by rnib

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