A ST ALBANS opticians has continued its work to make eye care more accessible across the community by taking its services directly to residents at homelessness charity Emmaus Hertfordshire.
The team from Specsavers St Albans visited Emmaus House, where they tested 14 residents and supported them with eye care.
Emmaus Hertfordshire supports people who have experienced homelessness, providing accommodation alongside a supportive community and opportunities to regain independence through meaningful work.
The clinic was attended by Specsavers St Albans optometrist Maisam Valli, pre-registration optometrist Habiba Khanom and ophthalmic director Ali Hashim.
Ali said: ‘Access to good eye care shouldn’t depend on someone’s circumstances. There can be many reasons why someone who has experienced homelessness may find it difficult to access routine eye care, so taking our services directly into the community is one way we can help remove some of those barriers.
‘It was a privilege to visit Emmaus Hertfordshire and support residents with their eye health. We hope to continue working with local organisations to make eye care more accessible to people across St Albans and the surrounding area.’
Nicky Shah, community team support manager at Emmaus Hertfordshire, added: ‘Having the Specsavers team come to Emmaus Hertfordshire was a fantastic opportunity for our companions to access important eye care in a familiar and supportive environment.
‘For many people who have experienced homelessness, accessing healthcare can sometimes feel difficult or overwhelming. Bringing services directly to Emmaus helped to remove some of those barriers and allowed our companions to receive care in a place where they feel safe and comfortable.
‘We’re incredibly grateful to the Specsavers team for giving their time, expertise and compassion. It’s partnerships like this that can make a real difference to the wellbeing of our companions and help ensure that people experiencing homelessness are not left behind when it comes to accessing essential healthcare.’
The Emmaus visit builds on the team’s ongoing work supporting people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in St Albans.
Most recently, the team took part in a Homeless Health Event at St Saviour’s Church, organised by Open Door Homeless Hub and Hightown Housing Association. Around 20 people were supported at the event, where the Specsavers team provided eye examinations, identified eye health concerns and helped people access vision correction and further support.
The team hopes to continue developing relationships with other organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity, with further community eye care initiatives planned.
For more information about Specsavers St Albans or to book an appointment, visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/stalbans or call the store on 01727 848020.
