The purpose of this document is to request UK Government funding for vital research, which can enable a step change in the way eye health and hearing services are delivered in the UK. We put forward the case for a UK National Eye Health and Hearing Study (UKNEHS) - a collaborative nationwide project developed by Anglia Ruskin University in cooperation with the College of Optometrists, Thomas Pocklington Trust, RNID, Deafblind UK, RNIB, Blind Veterans, Fight for Sight, Glaucoma UK, Guide Dogs, The Macular Society, and other partner organisations across the eye health and hearing sectors. A UKNEHS is being developed to address the desperate need in the UK for high quality, up-to-date data on eye health and hearing loss, so that the UK can plan future services in the most effective way, improve outcomes for those affected, and develop a more effective public health strategy in these crucial areas. The UKNEHS is a nation-wide study encompassing all four nations. It will focus on four key objectives; Effectiveness, Efficiency, Economy and Compliance, with digital transformation opportunities at the heart of the study.

 

More specifically, it will identify the prevalence and causes of vision impairment, blindness and hearing loss in the UK population aged 50 and over, providing an up-to-date and comprehensive picture of the UK’s eye and hearing health. The results of this work will feed into a wider programme of activities which will enable us to seriously consider the future screening and prevention of eye disease and hearing loss in the UK. This case for investment describes the known causes of vision and hearing loss, providing an overview of both the international and national policy landscape for eye and hearing health, and how eye care and hearing services are currently commissioned and provided. Further, it outlines the need for change in these sectors, and the key drivers for this. It explains why this study will deliver the evidence required to drive these changes and deliver the return on investment required to justify this investment. Having conducted a recent feasibility study in a an Integrated Care System, we are able to show how the UKNEHS will be successfully delivered including the governance structure and resources needed and an outline of how we will ensure objectives are met.