VCHP Plymouth clinic success

Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth and Devonport, with dispensing optician and VCHP static clinic manager Stephen Pratt, and optometrist Stephen Lewis visiting the new clinic

Shared space with a GP surgery, in a dedicated outreach centre, has proved to be a great success for the Plymouth Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP) clinic.

Located within the Shekinah Centre in the Stonehouse Creek area, the clinic is within an area with the highest level of homelessness in Devon.

The optical team at the University of Plymouth helped to set up the clinic and has been supporting its continuation.

Tammie Loughlin, the clinic manager and a student optometrist, said: “We have a cohort of students, helping and making use of the learning opportunities, working alongside the profession who are happy to share their expertise while delivering the eyecare service.”

Essilor in Caerphilly has provided glazing for around 100 pairs of spectacles dispensed since the clinic opened.

Stephen Pratt, Stephen Lewis, optometrist Hamza Ghani, dispensing optician Sarah Serle, and pre-reg optometrist Miriam Lee

Matthew Castle, Essilor Caerphilly site manager, explained: “It is great to be involved with VCHP. We pride ourselves on being just as much a local as a national business, and in providing optimum eyesight across the world. Long may our collaboration continue.

“Powers from -11.5D and -13.00 with significant astigmatisms are jobs that have come through, and we understand that some of these high prescription patients have not had a sight test for several years and come in with very scratched and damaged specs.”

The Plymouth clinic team spoke about one recent client who feared that she was going blind. Her eye examination revealed presbyopia, and the team were able to reassure her and provide reading spectacles, which ended the anxiety she had been suffering from for months.

Find out more about Vision Care for Homeless People.