Thank you to all the orthoptists who are involved in visual processing difficulties clinics. Regardless of what you call the clinic the outcome is the same. We are all working towards helping young people read well, improving self-confidence and self-perception and enabling children to access the curriculum.

As you will have seen, we have a new clinical interest group meeting set for November 1 st in Wycombe General Hospital (High Wycombe) which we all hope you will support. We have some amazing speakers coming and it is so important that we get together to discuss ideas and share information.

I have had several Orthoptists contact me or the steering committee asking if the meeting will be going ahead so please be reassured that it will go ahead as planned. The speakers, especially Professor Stein are all keen to talk to Orthoptists. I think Professor Stein put it succinctly “ I think it is essential we oppose the view that seems to be gaining ground that vision has nothing to do with reading difficulties”. Please support our CAG meetings as we cannot continue without you. We recently had our lovely Liz Clarke leave the VPD steering committee as she has retired from Orthoptics. Liz has been a brilliant team player and an absolutely lovely person. She is already missed on our VPD steering committee WhatsApp group and I know I speak for us all when I wish her love and happiness in her retirement.

Liz has been replaced by Ruth Ruddock who is relatively new to VPD. Ruth runs the Orthoptic VPD service at Warwickshire NHS Trust. She has shadowed both me and Nadia Northway and is currently running a pilot study with a local school looking at the benefits of assessing children with VP difficulties.

In January 2020 I will be coming to the end of my time as lead of the CAG after 6 years as lead or joint lead. I have loved my time getting involved with the CAG. I have changed the name of the group, had a lot of Orthoptists shadow me and answered hundreds of questions from members. I have updated the VPD section of the new website which is brilliant and there is a wealth of information on there. I have a brilliant steering group and I will be staying on to offer advice and guidance from whoever takes over from me whether it’s a single person or a joint/team of leads.

Please support our brilliant CAG Group Meeting and please be reassured that it will be going ahead as planned.

Kathryn Whitfield

VPD@orthoptics.org.uk