Highlighting life-changing optometry to politicians

Campaign highlighting life-changing optometry to politicians recognised

A CAMPAIGN featuring clinicians to showcase the life-changing role of community optometry to politicians has been recognised by public affairs experts.

Specsavers’ work at the most recent Labour and Conservative conferences highlighting community eye and ear health has been named as a finalist in the PRCA-Polimonitor Public Affairs Awards.

Specsavers collaborated with Connect Public Affairs to develop and execute the campaign, which saw hundreds of people – including senior politicians –  have their eye and ear health checked by Specsavers clinicians using an OCT machine and an otoscope at an eye-catching stand at both conferences.

‘Optometrists and audiologists have been a central part of this campaign because they can bring to life what they do every day, changing lives of patients in their communities and supporting the NHS,’ says Giles Edmonds, Specsavers clinical services director. ‘Being a finalist in these awards is as much a recognition of our colleagues across community optometry and audiology as anything. I congratulate them as well as colleagues in our support offices and Connect Public Affairs who worked on the campaign.’

During the two conferences last autumn, experts from Specsavers engaged with senior politicians such as Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting and then Health Secretary Steve Barclay as well as journalists and organisations about how the sector supports patients and the NHS.

‘We also shared Specsavers Access to Care report, which sets out the role of community optometry and audiology in the nation’s health – and are ready and able to do more. In addition, we held events highlighting the need to improve access to care for people experiencing homelessness and what Specsavers is doing in this area,’ adds Mr Edmonds.

‘Specsavers is proud to be helping lead the access to care agenda with colleagues across the sector to deliver positive change. With our mission to change lives through better sight and hearing, we will be continuing this work which is more important than ever with a UK general election likely this year.’

The Specsavers and Connect Public Affairs team will find out if they have won the Best In-House Consultancy Collaboration award will be announced at a ceremony in London today.