Guide Dogs has worked in partnership with Leeds Teaching Hospitals to deliver My Sighted Guide training to equip volunteers with the skills and knowledge they need to safely and confidently guide blind and partially sighted people around the hospital.
The training was offered in response to a Leeds Healthwatch report* in 2019 which concluded that visually impaired people in the city want improvements to their experience when visiting medical care facilities, including improving general awareness of vision impairments and improving accessibility and navigation. The report showed that 44% of those surveyed said that they came across accessibility issues when attending an appointment.
The conclusions of the report led to recommending improvements in accessibility and staff and volunteer training across the city’s healthcare settings.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals joins a number of organisations in Yorkshire including the Royal Armouries in Leeds, in working collaboratively with Guide Dogs. The training, delivered by the charity’s My Sighted Guide service, teaches sight loss awareness and practical safe guiding technique.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Volunteer Services team received the training, as well as expert advice and guidance, from Kelle Myers, Guide Dogs’ My Sighted Guide Community Development Officer for the North East. The Volunteer Services Team at Leeds Teaching Hospitals has now delivered this training to two groups of volunteers, who all get involved in various ways with the hospital, but most importantly in directly supporting patients.
Kelle Myers, My Sighted Guide Community Development Officer at Guide Dogs, said:
“We understand that living with sight loss is different for everyone, so we offer services in addition to our dogs, including our My Sighted Guide service and sighted guiding training for friends, family and organisations.
“87% of people with sight loss have said that improving the general public’s guiding skills would have a positive or very positive impact on their lives.
“We are proud to have partnered with Leeds Teaching Hospitals so that they can provide training for their volunteers on sight loss awareness and sighted guiding.
“It’s been brilliant working with the team who are all very devoted to making the patient experience more inclusive to those with sight loss.
“St James’ is one of the first of its kind to establish this kind of partnership, and we hope it encourages other healthcare settings to consider their accessibility for people with a vision impairment.”
Sarah Rogers, Volunteer Workforce Lead for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said:
“This partnership is proving to be a great success. Volunteers feel confident and empowered to offer patients support and assist them to navigate their way around our hospitals. We’re delighted that there is a real demand from staff and volunteers to learn these skills and such an appetite to create a friendly, inclusive welcome for all of our patients and visitors.”