Lifeline for charity providing services to blind and partially sighted people in the Highlands
A charity that feared it would have to scale back services for people in need in the Highlands has been given a reprieve.
Sight Action provides assistance to blind and partially sighted people through an agreement with NHS Highland and Highland Council, but said it would be unable to continue after receiving no increase in funding over the past 11 years.
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant joined protesters calling for a rethink outside NHS Highland's Inverness headquarters recently and SNP MSP Kate Forbes also asked health secretary Jeane Freeman to look at the case.
She said there followed a “very constructive meeting” where the health board, local authority and charity agreed a way for the service to continue.
Miss Forbes said: “I have had scores of constituents contacting me to say how important Sight Action’s lifeline services are.
“I’m pleased to hear that following constructive discussions between the charity, NHS Highland and Highland Council, a solution has been found, and that this greatly valued service provision will continue.
“It appears there may even be the opportunity for service users to help shape future improvements, and I look forward to hearing more about this from the Sight Action team in due course.”
A spokeswoman for Sight Action said: “NHS Highland, the Highland Council and Sight Action are happy to announce that following a very constructive meeting there has been an agreed way forward to work together, for these valuable services to continue.
“We have all agreed to work together to evaluate the current model, consult with service users and identify areas of the service that will meet any new developments in Scottish Government strategic planning and ultimately benefit service users.”
