06 November 2025
Vision Care [formerly Vision Care for Homeless People] welcomed Shockat Adam MP to their Leicester pop-up clinic to mark World Homeless Day on 10 October.
The visit, held at Leicester Inclusion Health Practice, was part of Vision Care’s work to extend the General Ophthalmic Services contract so that people experiencing homelessness can access NHS eye care more easily.
Vision Care has ten clinics across England and Scotland, all of which are equipped with testing rooms.
The clinics are staffed by volunteer optometrists, dispensing opticians, and optical assistants.
Adam, an optometrist and practice owner who was elected as MP for Leicester South at the 2024 General Election, was able to witness the work Vision Care does with those experiencing homelessness firsthand during the visit.
Vision Care is providing “a vital service,” Adam said.
He added: “As an optometrist myself, it is inspiring to see my fellow optical clinicians deliver this service. It is also humbling talking to patients who are benefitting from it.”
Vision Care chief executive, Hannah Telfer, welcomed Adam’s visit to the pop-up clinics.
“He was able to see our expert volunteers delivering care first-hand. The lived experience of some our of patients was also a powerful reminder of why the work of Vision Care matters,” she said.
Telfer added: “We wanted to invite him on World Homeless Day because it is an opportunity to raise awareness of the needs of people who experience homelessness.
“Our research has shown they have a higher proportion of uncorrected refractive error and therefore are much more in need of regular eye examinations and glasses.”
Vision Care clinics provide eye care and glasses free of charge to those affected by homelessness, as well as to those without the means to pay, regardless of their NHS eye examination eligibility.
Giles Edmonds, clinical services director at Specsavers, also attended the clinic on 10 October.
Edmonds said: “I was so pleased to be invited to join [Shockat] Adam and the Vision Care team. Specsavers has a long-standing relationship with Vision Care, so it’s great be able to come and see the brilliant work they continue to do in our communities.
He added: “As a business, we are committed to making healthcare accessible to all and to creating long-term solutions to remove healthcare barriers.
“Collaborating with partners such as Vision Care is enabling us to collectively improve access to free, appropriate eye and hearing care for people experiencing homelessness or other barriers to care.”
Specsavers and VCHP join homeless lived experience focus group in Bristol
The organisations discussed barriers to eye care for those experiencing homelessness during the 10 June event
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