Sign inPoliticians' vision checked out by eye and hearing health clinic in UK Parliament
Following its strong 2024 campaign pushing for pathway change in NHS primary care hearing services for adults, Specsavers has again got in the faces of politicians across the UK political spectrum, targeting party conferences with a firm message on its current and future role in delivering “an accessible neighbourhood health service” within the NHS.
Most people would struggle to contain a wry smile on learning that parliamentarians are having their hearing checked. Even greater amusement is bundled in if it’s a two-for-one deal to also see if their vision is in need of any help.
© Specsavers
But this was for real – in the physical sense, of course – even if the underlying purpose of the event here reported is to stir debate on aspects of healthcare highly relevant to audiologists and optometrists.
Parliamentarians from various parties attended a drop-in clinic for eye and hearing checks on December 2 held by Specsavers clinicians, with the session staffed by some of the group’s optometrists and audiologists using a hearing screener, a video otoscope, an OCT machine, and a virtual reality headset simulating sight loss.
“The Specsavers team welcomed MPs and peers throughout the day to talk about the role of audiology and optometry as part of neighbourhood health care,” said Sonam Sehemby, head of clinical training at Specsavers.
Access to Care Report – what is it?
The giant health business, based in Guernsey, is becoming a regular presence in UK parliament buildings, having campaigned with full force in 2024 to promote its Hearing Health Report, and this autumn pushing on with the aim of drawing maximum attention to its new Access to Care Report.
This latest clinic provided an opportunity to talk about the key recommendation from that 2025 report, published by Specsavers in September and making itself felt through senior voices from across the health system.
“The report highlights how successful neighbourhood NHS schemes, such as community audiology services delivered closer to home, work in parts of the UK while patients in other areas face a health postcode lottery,” explains Sehemby.
“A key recommendation of the report is that these successful community schemes, including an NHS primary care audiology service for adults, must be expanded to improve access to care,” she continued.
Leading the team at the UK Parliament, L-R Sonam Sehemby, Head of Clinical training with audiologists Meghna Patel and Jasmine Opoku-Ware.
© Specsavers
The Specsavers team brought a video otoscope to facilitate hearing checks as well as a hearing screener to detect any indication of hearing loss, with attendees signposted to follow up care and clinical investigation as required. The team also had a virtual reality headset with them as well to give parliamentarians an insight into what patients with eye conditions, such as glaucoma, see and experience.
“We also talked about how community audiologists, optometrists, dispensing opticians and their teams have the expertise, care and capacity to do more. Fully using their would be good for patients, ease pressure on hospitals and support government goals to shift healthcare from hospital to community,” added Sehemby.
