Please may I ask if the KC Group would discuss an issue at the next committee meeting?

[Loopy-Lou]

Please would you consider writing a letter to Moorfields (and as a template members could use for other eye hospitals) to ask them to allow patients to set up a saline/lens solution 'bank', like a food bank but for lens solutions and saline?
The rationale for this would be the following - people in receipt of JSA and from next year ESA (Work Related Activity Group) are in receipt of £74 a week (under 25's, less). The switch to Universal Credit will put all claimants 7 weeks in arrears (this includes in-work benefits).
People who are sanctioned are on a completely zero income for weeks (which in turn accrues debt), and the rate of sanctions in both JSA & ESA are quite high and very easy to acquire. Food banks state that this and delays in any payments are the reasons for people needing to use them.
I am very concerned about this and as KC patient would be more than happy to donate bottles at each appointment (or donate the prescription we are all entitled to at appointments).

Thank you for your consideration, Lou.

[Anne Klepacz]

I'm more than happy to raise this with other committee members and see what we can do. While people on these benefits are entitled to free contact lenses, there's no provision for solutions and most hospitals only give a month's prescription these days. So how can anyone on such a low income buy sufficient supplies of solutions to enable them to actually wear their lenses?!

[Loopy-Lou]

Many thanks Anne, I worry so much about people in the lowest income bracket because I fear they might use tap water instead of saline, or be faced with the stark choice of not seeing well or choosing a bottle of cleaning solution over dinner. 'Solution bank' is one immediate stop-gap solution, I'd be prepared to help with this.
Longer term though there are issues regarding the discrepancy between many permanent and life long conditions justifying free prescriptions, ie thyroid problems = lifelong free prescriptions but asthma from birth does not. I think lenses after grafting constitute life long especially when they are hospital issued.
There's already petitions on this: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/ ... on-charges
If the KC group were to write to Moorfields, perhaps that letter could go to all eye hospitals in the UK? With a list of all eye hospitals I'd volunteer to print & stuff envelopes & send out willingly.
Have a good christmas Anne, hope your graft is progressing ok x