Specsavers St Albans has taken eye care directly into the community, supporting around 20 people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity at a local Homeless Health Event.
The event, organised by Open Door Homeless Hub and Hightown Housing Association at St Saviour’s Church, brought together a range of services to support people in the community.
The Specsavers St Albans team has worked with both organisations previously, providing in-store clinics for their clients. Through that ongoing relationship, the team recognised that some people still faced barriers to accessing eye care and was pleased to support the community-based clinic by bringing its expertise directly to those who needed it.
During the event, the team saw and spoke to approximately 20 people, providing eye examinations, identifying eye health concerns and helping people access the vision correction and further support they needed.
Many of those attending had not had an eye test for several years. The St Albans team also spent time discussing eye health, answering questions and helping people understand what support may be available to them moving forward.
Ali Hashim, ophthalmic director at Specsavers St Albans, says: ‘As eye care professionals, we believe everyone should have access to high quality eye care regardless of their circumstances. We wanted to use our skills to support vulnerable members of our community and help remove some of the barriers that can prevent people from accessing healthcare services.
‘The experience was incredibly rewarding and humbling. The people we met were grateful for the opportunity to receive eye care in a familiar and supportive environment, and it reinforced how important good vision is to everyday life, from reading and accessing services to maintaining independence and confidence.
‘What stood out most was the strength of the community network supporting these individuals. The commitment shown by the volunteers and staff from Open Door Homeless Hub and Hightown was inspiring, and it was a privilege for our team to play a small part in their wider efforts.’
The clinic built on an existing partnership between Specsavers St Albans, Open Door Homeless Hub and Hightown Housing Association. Having previously supported clients through in-store clinics, the team valued the opportunity to take its services into the community and meet people where they were.
Ali adds: ‘The event highlighted the importance of healthcare providers, charities and housing organisations working together. We are extremely grateful to Open Door Homeless Hub and Hightown for inviting us to be involved and we hope to continue supporting their clients through similar initiatives in the future.’
Hetul Vara, hub co-ordinator for Open Door Homeless Hub, says: ‘Our Homeless Health events bring a wide range of health, wellbeing and support services together in one accessible location for people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
‘What makes these events particularly valuable is that they are co-produced with individuals who have lived experience of homelessness, ensuring that the support offered reflects the real needs and challenges faced by people.
‘By working in partnership with organisations such as Specsavers, we can help remove barriers to healthcare, improve access to vital services and create opportunities for people to access support in a welcoming and trusted environment.’
To book an appointment or find out more about the services available at Specsavers St Albans, visit specsavers.co.uk/stores/stalbans or call the store on 01727 848020.
