Council for the Blind reports rise in users but warns of funding shortfall
The NCBI published its 2019 Annual Report on Wednesday, and said it saw an increase of more than 500 people using its services countrywide last year.
The National Council for the Blind of Ireland has said there was an increase in the number of people it supported last year but issued a warning over continued funding shortfalls.
The NCBI published its 2019 Annual Report today, and said it saw an increase of more than 500 people using its services countrywide last year.
It said the increase in demand is due to greater promotion of its services and forging new partnerships with clinicians and stakeholders in the hospital or community setting, as well as an aging population where sight loss is more common.
However, while statutory funding accounts for 69% of revenue, the remaining 31% is dependent on fundraising, including from its stores around the country.
The Covid-19 pandemic and associated restrictions have impacted those shops and the NCBI said: "The closure of our stores for 10 weeks due to Covid-19 had a significant negative impact on our finances as they are such a vital source of funding to us so we will be trying to make up the deficit throughout 2020.
"We urge the public to support us through our stores by shopping or making a donation instore or online."
In the report foreword the organisation's CEO, Chris White, said: "Our continued reliance on HSE funding remains a concern given the continued shortfall in funding received and the pressure to make up that deficit through fundraising efforts," he said.
"Revenue raised through our shops to fund our services rose significantly in 2019 to €1.3m. We are also very grateful for all our corporate sponsors, donors and legacies. However, our efforts to diversify our statutory income will continue into the future."
The number of people who availed of NCBI services increased across every age group, with a 15% rise in new referrals last year.
There were also increases in library service membership and in the number of charity shops operating around the country.
Also, last year the Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) service, bridging the gap between acute and community-based services. It provided 736 support sessions to patients and their families, resulting in 252 new referrals.
It found that 80% of patients stated before speaking with the ECLO that they were not well informed about supports available to help people live with sight loss.
Chris White said: "The number of referrals has increased particularly thanks to the roll-out of the Eye Clinic Liaison Officer Service in some Dublin-based hospitals.
"This meant, for the first time ever, patients were referred to NCBI at the point of diagnosis, offering tailored support to assist the patient to adjust and understand the impact of this diagnosis on their daily lives."
