Support and Advice Services
The following services are available to people with serious sight loss, whether they have been registered or not. Not all of our services are available in all areas, please check this.
Supporting People
The Supporting People service is committed to ensuring that people with sight loss have the opportunity and support they need to live independently. The service provides staff to assist with food shopping, reading mail, completing forms and various day to day household tasks.
As this is funded by the Government, depending on your circumstances this service may be paid by your local authority, by yourself or a combination of both.
For more information contact 0141 572 0747.
Service available in North Lanarkshire, Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire.
Information and Advice — 0141 332 4632
Our staff provide information to people with sight loss, their families and friends, students and professionals. We appreciate the difficulties of knowing what services, aids and equipment, etc. are available and who to contact, so our friendly staff will listen, advise you of your options and give you the contact details. We cannot supply the services or equipment ourselves, but can easily point you in the right direction.
We can send out information in a range of formats - Braille, large print, tape, computer disc, etc.
Many people have told Visibility that it is important, from time to time, to have someone to talk to about what they are experiencing and feeling. This may be at the time of diagnosis or a change in circumstances, etc. We will help you look at your options, give you information if you wish or just listen to what you have to say. This confidential service is provided to people by phone, in their own homes or at our offices. If you feel this would be of help, please contact us and we will make arrangements to suit you.
For more information contact 0141 332 4632.
Service available in all areas in the west of Scotland.
Patient Support Service
Gartnavel Hospital
The Patient Support Service is available to anyone attending Gartnavel Hospital Eye Department and Low Vision Service and offers patients the time and space to talk through any concerns or anxieties relating to their sight loss. This is offered in a relaxed, non medical and confidential setting and a selection of equipment to help indepent living is also available for demonstration purposes. Information on support services is available and ensures patients attending are informed of where and how to access support
Thisis a partnership between Visibility and Gartnavel Hospital (GG&CNHS) and was the first service of it's kind when developed in 2002. Our Patient Support Workers are available to talk to patients at the point of diagnosis when patients may be anxious about the impact of their sight loss and be uncertain of what support is available to help. The service has continued to grow over the last 7 years and we are delighted that the service is now considered an integral part of the Eye Department by both the patients and medical staff.
The Patient Support Service is located in Optometry Room 8 within the Eye Department of Gartnavel Hospital and staff are available Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. No appointment is necessary however appointments can be made in advance by calling 0141 211 6753.
In Addition to this Visibility works in partnership with the optometrists at the new Low Vision Clinic at Inverclyde Hospital, Visibility and Inverclyde Visual Impairment Team provide information, support and follow up to patients attending the clinic.
Other HospitalsVisibility are delighted to also have a Patient Support Service referral system in place with the following Hospitals.
- The Royal Infirmary
- Southern General Hospital
- The Victoria Infirmary
- Stobhill Hospital
If you are a patient attending the Eye Departments within these hospitals and you would like to know more about the range of support services and support available locally to you, please ask a member of staff if you can be referred to the Patient Support Service. Following referral, a worker will contact you by telephone to discuss your support needs and post information to you about the support available and how you can access this.