Member Article

North East Opticians Gift Homeless Charity

North East-based optometrists Concept Eye Care have given an early Christmas present to people experiencing homelessness around the region. The clinic has kindly offered free eye examinations and optical care to people accessing Changing Lives’ Housing & Homelessness services in the local area.

Newcastle-based Concept Eye Clinic has a long history of supporting local charities and voluntary organisations. Director Shehla Naqvi explained “Beyond our state-of-the art clinics, our philosophy is underpinned by a social model of care because we live in a society where more and more people are feeling isolated, experience poverty or health inequalities.”

She continued “Our work is predicated on the reality that making a positive difference to a person’s vision inevitably impacts their quality of life, place in society, dignity and emotional well being. For ‘hard to reach’ communities, this means moving away from the ‘one size fits all’ model with respect for the individual.”

“We recognise that human contact can make all the difference in how someone views their health. The work of Changing Lives goes beyond the festive season, but this is certainly a particularly difficult time of the year for many people.”

The support offered goes far beyond a new set of spectacles. The clinic will give a comprehensive overview of an individual’s eye health, which can detect warning signs of conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, and help people manage systemic conditions like heart disease.

Changing Lives’ offer a range of accommodation and support for people experiencing homelessness across the North East. They provide a safe place to stay, help to sort out practical issues and deliver tailored strength-based support.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Michelle Shaw .