THE TEAM at Specsavers in Droitwich has suspended all routine testing and in focusing on essential and urgent care to ensure key workers can get help when they need it.
The opticians in Salters Shopping Centre has most recently helped ITU nurse Noli Guadalupe who had broken his glasses due to the PPE he’s having to wear.
He called the store for advice as his glasses were also steaming up and after seeing optometrist Randeep Singh he also left with contact lenses to help combat the problem.
Since lockdown started, the store has helped lots of different people including a supermarket delivery driver who had broken his safety glasses. The order for their new specs was placed the same day and they were delivered 48 hours later.
The team also stepped in to help a doctor who urgently needed a PEARS appointment for a lump on his lower eyelid.
These appointments are available to treat a variety of eye conditions by opticians who have specialist knowledge, training and skills. The doctor was seen immediately, and they were able to provide him with comfort drops to ease the pain he was experiencing.
Store director Emma Singh said: “We want to help those that need it at the moment, particularly key workers.
“These are challenging times for us all and I’d like to say thank you to the team for how well they’ve been able to adapt and allow us to continue to provide urgent and essential care.”
In another case a young autistic boy had broken his NHS glasses – the team did not have the same pair in stock so managed track down some at a sister store in Stourport which sent the frames over.
Emma added: “A change in frames would have caused the boy distress so we were delighted we were able to help.”
Specsavers’ teams are classed as key workers to provide urgent and essential eye care to those who need it.
That includes supporting other key workers who couldn’t function without their help and people who would come to harm without their health expertise, especially where the usual hospital services and NHS facilities are being prioritised for the fight against COVID-19.
In a UK first, Specsavers has also launched a free nationwide sight and hearing consultation service offering access to vital advice and care from optometrists and audiologists, via video and telephone link.
The service, called Specsavers RemoteCare, is designed to cover concerns ranging from eye health and changes in the quality of sight, to contact lens aftercare and audiology health and aftercare.
Developed in line with NHS recommendations on remote consultation, the new service is open to everyone, whether or not they are currently a Specsavers customer, and can be accessed securely from any digital device.
Customers unable to use video, they will be able to get expert advice over the phone.
Other services include ‘Specsavers Ask the Expert’ public group on Facebook and the Specsavers website care hub.
Customers who have an existing prescription can buy glasses and contact lenses online at specsavers.co.uk
For more information about the RemoteCare service click here.
