Health, Well-being and Care

Who can get support?

• Anyone living in the Bradford Metropolitan District who is experiencing difficulties because of their sight loss. This includes people who are deafblind and people with additional disabilities
• If you live or work with someone who is experiencing difficulties because of sight loss, we can provide you with information and advice.

We will discuss your needs with you to help us decide on the type and amount of support we can offer.

How to get support …
Anyone can ring us at Morley Street Resource Centre, or visit us for help and advice (but please ring first). You can do this whether this is the first time you have needed help or whether you are already known to us (contact details are available from the Get in Touch link at the bottom of this page)

If you have been seen by a Consultant Ophthalmologist who has completed a Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) for you, a copy of this will automatically be sent to us. A member of our team will then contact you and make an appointment to see you, either at our Centre or in your own home. They will discuss any help you may need and can register you as blind or partially sighted if you wish (see ‘About registration’ below).

About registration …
The Council has a duty to keep a register of all blind and partially sighted people living within its area; this is to make sure people are getting the help and services they need.

The larger the register, the more likely it will be that services are suitable and responsive to people’s needs.

You will only be entered on the register if you have a Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) – but you do not have to be registered to receive our services.

If you register, you will be issued with a national registration card that can be used as proof of identity.

It is easier to apply for some services if you are registered, e.g. bus/train travel concessions, blue badge applications for car parking.

We may be able to offer you the following support:

• A Duty and Advice Service for you and your carers if you are blind or have a visual impairment (this service is also available to the general public). The Duty Officer will help with your queries and can refer you on to other organisations if necessary.
• If you have both a hearing and a visual impairment, our Guide Support Service can help you stay as independent as possible in your own home.
• For example, someone could go to the doctor with you to make sure you understand about your treatment, or to the shops to enable you to do your own shopping
• Practical training and advice with things you find difficult, so that you can:
  • Move about safely and independently at home and out of doors (including travelling on the bus or train)
  • Perform everyday tasks such as cooking, cleaning, personal care and using appliances
  • Communicate effectively using Braille, technology, typing, moon, recording
  • Manage with low vision – using lighting, magnification colour and tone contrast
  • Finding out about and recommending specialist equipment
  • Help to support teenage children with a visual impairment when they plan to leave school
  • Providing agreed care packages to enable you to live in your own home
  • Help with finding suitable accommodation for your needs with the help of local housing providers
  • Advice to make getting around your home easier and safer, including providing equipment and minor adaptations e.g. lighting, handrails
  • Access to other services available e.g. welfare benefits advisers, social and support groups, employment and training agencies
  • Issuing of bus passes
  • Provision of Car Badge application forms
  • Identifying any help that carers may need
  • Providing training for carers
  • Referring you to the Contact 1-1 Support Service if you need to talk to someone about your sight loss and how it has affected you.

For example:
Mohammed is 30 years old and has been registered blind. He was starting a new job but was worried about finding his way to work. He also needed equipment to help him to use the computer at work. Our team was able to help with some mobility training to his workplace and orientation training for him to move around the building independently. The team also advised on speech software for his PC and put him in touch with the Access to Work agency to provide the equipment. Mohammed has since taken up mobility training so that he can go to the shops and to friends’ houses by himself.

Malcolm is 59 and is visually impaired; he is the main carer for his wife who has dementia. Malcolm was finding it very difficult to cope since his vision started to deteriorate. He has had several falls in the house and finds it difficult to get down the steps from the top floor flat. Malcolm had a carer’s assessment from our visual impairment team. They put him in touch with the Sitting Service and now a paid carer comes to the house every week to look after his wife so that he can attend the local social group meeting for visually impaired people. The couple have also been helped with re-housing to sheltered accommodation.

How to contact us
If you want to visit the Centre, please ring us first to make sure
someone is available to see you.
For contact details for the Morley Street Resource Centre, please visit the Get in Touch link.