Confusion around Certification of Vision Impairment (CVI) and registration processes-are patients falling through the cracks?
Journal
Eye (London, England)
ISSN: 1476-5454
Titre abrégé: Eye (Lond)
Pays: England
ID NLM: 8703986
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Nov 2023
Nov 2023
Historique:
received:
21
11
2022
accepted:
31
03
2023
revised:
29
03
2023
medline:
9
11
2023
pubmed:
20
4
2023
entrez:
19
04
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
In the UK, the Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) certifies a person as sight impaired (partially sighted) or severely sight impaired (blind). This is completed by ophthalmologists and passed with the patient's consent to their GP, their local authority, and The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Certifications office. Once a person is certified, they can be registered by their local authority which is voluntary but enables the person to access rehabilitation or habitation services, financial concessions, welfare benefits and other services provided by local authorities. We conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 17 patients with a diagnosed eye condition, 4 Eye Clinic Liaison Officers (ECLO) and 4 referring optometrists around their experiences around CVI and registration processes. Analysis of themes was conducted with results synthesised in a narrative analysis. Patients reported lack of clarity around the processes of certification and registration, benefits of certification and what happens beyond certification, the type of support that they are entitled to, delays in accessing support. Optometrists appear not to engage with the process much, especially if the patient is being treated by the hospital eye service. Vision loss can be a devastating experience for the patient. There is a lack of information and confusion around the process. The lack of a joined-up process between certification and registration needs to be addressed if we are to provide the support that patients deserve in order to improve their quality of life and wellbeing.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
In the UK, the Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) certifies a person as sight impaired (partially sighted) or severely sight impaired (blind). This is completed by ophthalmologists and passed with the patient's consent to their GP, their local authority, and The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Certifications office. Once a person is certified, they can be registered by their local authority which is voluntary but enables the person to access rehabilitation or habitation services, financial concessions, welfare benefits and other services provided by local authorities.
METHODS
METHODS
We conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 17 patients with a diagnosed eye condition, 4 Eye Clinic Liaison Officers (ECLO) and 4 referring optometrists around their experiences around CVI and registration processes. Analysis of themes was conducted with results synthesised in a narrative analysis.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Patients reported lack of clarity around the processes of certification and registration, benefits of certification and what happens beyond certification, the type of support that they are entitled to, delays in accessing support. Optometrists appear not to engage with the process much, especially if the patient is being treated by the hospital eye service.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Vision loss can be a devastating experience for the patient. There is a lack of information and confusion around the process. The lack of a joined-up process between certification and registration needs to be addressed if we are to provide the support that patients deserve in order to improve their quality of life and wellbeing.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37076690
doi: 10.1038/s41433-023-02520-0
pii: 10.1038/s41433-023-02520-0
pmc: PMC10630472
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
3412-3416Informations de copyright
© 2023. The Author(s).
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