Simplyhealth pledges support for new scheme to aid sight loss detection

Simplyhealth has announced its support for a new national project that aims to raise awareness of the importance of eye health and the impact of sight loss among medical practitioners.

Running until March 2016 and delivered by the Royal College of General Practitioners, the scheme will deliver a series of training resources, webinars and events in 2015 and 2016 for GPs and practice staff on this topic throughout the UK.

The workshops will aim to increase knowledge and awareness amongst doctors about specific issues relating to older people with sight loss and how to make their practices more accessible.

Simplyhealth is supporting this initiative after a recent survey revealed many GPs in the UK are not confident when diagnosing major eye diseases.

Mark Hamson, chairman of the Simplyhealth charitable committee, said: "We are committed to helping people to live healthy lives and are convinced that this educational programme designed for healthcare practitioners will contribute towards this."

The dental and health plan provider has active community funds in four of its locations – Andover, Bristol, Leeds and Manchester – and actively works to support charities and organisations in these communities.