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Thousands receiving sight care through expanded homelessness scheme

Specsavers have collaborated with the Big Issue to draw attention to eye and hearing problems in people experiencing homelessness.

Research among people experiencing homelessness found one in three have a sight condition, while 44% have either never had an eye test or have not had one in five years or more.

Specsavers Charity VIP Service was launched in November 2022 to help address these healthcare inequalities, initially providing free eye and hearing care to Big Issue vendors. The service has since expanded to support people experiencing homelessness across the UK and Ireland, with more than 7,000 people now having accessed free eye and hearing care. Three-quarters of those attending the programmes eye health clinics have also been found to need glasses.

[Big Issue vendor]

Jack Osborne-Richardson is a Big Issue vendor living in Bristol(Image: PinPep)

Despite two-thirds being eligible for NHS-funded eye care, many still face barriers to accessing support, including feeling uncomfortable attending appointments and concerns about the cost of glasses.

The scheme also provides hearing care for people experiencing homelessness, including free hearing checks, hearing protection, ear wax removal and hearing devices where required.

Research of 45 people experiencing homelessness found 89% of people experiencing homelessness have experienced pain or discomfort in their ears, while 86% reported buzzing or ringing sounds, a potential sign of hearing loss.

In addition, 57% of Big Issue vendors do not know where to access audiology support, with barriers including digital booking systems, long waiting lists and a lack of GP registration.

To help break down barriers to eye and hearing care for people experiencing homelessness, the latest edition of Big Issue has gone supersized.

[Big Issue vendor with magazine]

One in 10 scheme recipients required a referral to a hospital or GP, almost three times the rate seen on the high street(Image: PinPep)

A limited-edition version of the magazine, the BIGGER Issue, has been created in partnership with Specsavers, with 3,000 oversized copies printed at twice the publication's usual size.

The cover features Big Issue vendor Mihaela, who has personal experience living with a sight condition, shown both blurred and in focus, reflecting the reality of living with uncorrected sight problems.

Jack Osborne-Richardson, Big Issue vendor from Bristol, said: Throughout my life, accessing eye care has been a real challenge because I've never stayed in one place long enough to register. As a result, I often wore the wrong prescription, suffered from headaches, and constantly felt unsafe.

The partnership between Big Issue and Specsavers has been incredibly helpful. The appointment was free and easy to arrange, and the staff made me feel welcome and supported throughout.

Getting the right glasses has made a huge difference to my life. I'm now able to read more easily, interact confidently with the public while selling Big Issue, and, most importantly, I feel safer and less vulnerable.

[Big Issue vendor with magazine]

Three quarters of people who have accessed the programme's eye health clinics required glasses(Image: PinPep)

Catherine Parsons, managing director at Big Issue, said: We have spent the past 35 years working towards ending poverty in the UK and Ireland and creating more opportunities for people experiencing homelessness.

Health and wellbeing are a critical part of this. Better sight and better hearing shouldn't be a privilege; they're a foundation for someone rebuilding their independence, finding work or reconnecting with the world around them.

Carina Hummel, managing director optics at Specsavers, said: Our purpose is to change lives through better sight and hearing by making care accessible and affordable for everyone.

We understand that people affected by homelessness are at higher risk of eye and hearing problems, yet encounter significant barriers when trying to access care.

We're thrilled to be expanding our Charity VIP service across the UK and Ireland, providing a free and judgement-free way for people to access eye and hearing care.

Those wishing to use the Specsavers' service can visit their local store and ask staff about the scheme or complete a simple online form. Local Specsavers stores across the UK will distribute copies of the BIGGER Issue to local homelessness charities to help the message reach those who could benefit from it.

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