2025 in Review: Sight Loss Organisations

·19 min·1 clip

A panel reviews why the RNIB faced a £10 million hole and whether sight loss charities are failing those most in need.

The episode begins by introducing a panel to review UK sight loss organizations, focusing on their activities and challenges. Host Peter White starts with Connor Scott Gardner, who successfully campaigned against the RNIB's plan to stop braille transcription services. Connor expresses concern that the RNIB's strategic review, aimed at plugging a £10 million financial hole, is shifting focus away from core services for totally blind people. He argues that by including people with correctable vision loss in their statistics, the RNIB is diluting resources for those with the highest need. Cathy Yelf, former CEO of the Macular Society, responds by noting the proliferation of sight loss charities and the economic challenges they face, including falling donations and rising costs. Fazile Hardy, from Disability Rights UK, acknowledges the tension between campaigning and services but suggests it's more pronounced due to worsening public services. The discussion then shifts to Guide Dogs, where Peter Osborne admitted that totally blind people wait longer for guide dogs. Lord Blanket criticizes Guide Dogs for management failures during COVID that disrupted training and delivery. Connor reacts with shock to this admission, worrying that decisions are made by strategists who don't understand the community's needs. Cathy Yelf analyzes the 'two million people with sight loss' statistic, revealing that nearly half involve uncorrected refractive error, like wrong glasses, which is a public health issue rather than irreversible blindness. Connor considers whether a separate organization for totally blind people is needed but questions the logistics. The final segment debates whether charities should fund research into preventing future eye disease. Cathy Yelf explains that the sight loss sector spends less than 2.5% on research, about £20 million annually, while members are split on prioritizing research versus services. Keith Valentine, from Fight for Sight, argues for more investment in research, noting the UK's low research market and lack of a unified lobbying voice. Fazile Hardy suggests lobbying pharmaceutical companies for research funding rather than using charitable money. The episode concludes with a call for listener feedback on these issues.

As heard by us

A clear, policy-minded look at organisations serving visually impaired people and the priorities behind their services.

The episode looks at how UK organisations serving visually impaired people set their priorities, with the RNIB's abandoned plan to end braille transcription services as the sharpest test case.

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Why you'd press play

You get a candid stocktake of the UK sight loss organisations set up to serve visually impaired people, and what they may need to rethink.

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