Member Article

Durham optometrist succeeds in campaign for NHS to amend financial regulations

The NHS has changed its regulations over how financial support is accessible to parents buying specially-made glasses for children, thanks to a Durham optometrist’s campaigning work for children suffering from down syndrome.

Family Optometrist and business owner Simon Berry, who runs his own practice and specialises in children’s eye care,

In a campaign stretching two years, backed by MP Roberta Blackman-Woods and several national charities, Simon’s efforts to change the rules on funding saw an online petition attract over 600 signatures.

Down syndrome is a genetic condition caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21, which can cause some level of learning disability and particular physical features. Around Prior to the campaign, the Special Facial Characteristics Voucher which offered extra financial support was only available via hospital eye services rather than local opticians. Many children found the regular hospital visits distressing, and parents were frustrated by the lack of frame choices for their children.

Thanks to Simon’s efforts, from April this year the rules on the funding were changed and all children can now access this voucher regardless of whether they go through a hospital or their local optician.

Simon Berry commented: “This is fantastic news and something we have campaigned about for a long time. We first raised the issue with NHS England over two years ago.

“Under the old rules, patients with exactly the same clinical need received a different level of service depending on how they accessed the NHS service. It also varied throughout the UK depending where the patient lived, how individual authorities interpreted the regulations, and how referrals to local hospital departments are organised.

“Far from being what should have been a simple change of regulations, it has taken two years of countless emails and phone calls, an online petition and support from our MP Roberta Blackman-Wood plus national charities including SeeAbility, the Down’s Syndrome Association, Mencap and Down’s Heart UK Group to get the regulations changed.

“It is a step change in caring for the vision of children with Down Syndrome, and for those with conditions such as Microtia – missing or small ears - or facial cancers. Specialist frames can mean a better fit, fewer repairs and better quality of vision, which all make a positive contribution to a child’s quality of life.”

Roberta Blackman-Woods MP for the City of Durham added: “Although it has been a long time coming I am delighted with the outcome and hopefully many parents and children will benefit from the change in NHS regulations thanks to the persistence and determination of Simon and the charities involved.”

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