Motion: Guide Dogs for the Blind Re-think Rehab

Guide Dogs for the Blind Re-think Rehab

Lodged by Kate Maclean Standard Motion 49 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament congratulates the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association on the launch of its Re-think Rehab campaign; recognises that rehabilitation workers currently play a crucial role in enabling blind and partially sighted people to live safe and independent lives; notes that there is a major shortage in the number of properly qualified rehabilitation workers to deliver training to visually impaired people in Scotland, with 30% not holding the necessary level of qualifications to do the job; acknowledges that 15% of Scottish local authorities have no dedicated services for blind and partially sighted people; expresses dismay that many blind and partially sighted people in Scotland are not able to lead the active, independent lives that other people take for granted; welcomes the Scottish Executive’s eye healthcare review and the work carried out so far by it to assess the adequacy of social care services for sensory impaired users and is grateful for the Executive’s commitment to provide short-term contingency measures to shore up the shortfall of qualified rehabilitation workers, and looks forward to the early implementation of this commitment together with the finding and funding of long-term solutions to improve the rehabilitation services on offer for blind and partially sighted people.

Supporters (49)