Leominster opticians host clinic for people experiencing homelessness

The locally owned and run opticians at 25 West Street partnered with Leominster Foodbank to offer free after-hours eye care last week. Creating a comfortable and quiet environment where those in need could speak with a healthcare professional, attendees were offered a eye test, OCT scan and glasses.

The clinic was part of a wider Specsavers homelessness programme with more than 180 Specsavers stores and Home Visits businesses holding out-of-hours or pop-up clinics and inviting those affected by any form of homelessness in the local community to make use of their services.

Tim Allen, store director at Specsavers Leominster, says: ‘We were pleased to host our first out-of-hours clinic. I am incredibly proud of the team who helped make this possible. It is our long-term aim to ensure that everyone can access free, appropriate eye and hearing care which ultimately will help improve quality of life.

‘Specsavers as a business, and as a local team within the community, is committed to making healthcare accessible to everyone. I really hope that this helps raise awareness of the issue and the current barriers people are facing.’

As well as running eye and ear care clinics across stores, Specsavers also collaborates with Crisis, Vision Care, Big Issue and other homelessness services to create long-term solutions to remove healthcare barriers.

Specsavers is also calling for changes to government policy to remove unnecessary barriers that make it difficult for people experiencing homelessness to access the eye and ear care they need. Long term plans include influencing policy and systems, so people affected have access to free ear checks, eye tests and glasses, and replacement glasses if broken, lost or stolen.

To find out more, visit specsavers.co.uk/news-and-information/community/homelessness or contact your local Specsavers store at 01568 619340 or https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/leominster to find out when the next clinic will be held.