New Statesman Positive Impact Awards recognise eye health partnership

The New Statesman Positive Impact Awards have recognised the impact of a partnership that aims to raise awareness of eye health and drive policy change.

Ovid has been shortlisted for The Positive Impact in Healthcare Award for its role in developing The Eyes Have It partnership.

Ovid is the communications agency for Roche, which partnered with the Association of Optometrists, Macular Society, Fight for Sight, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and Royal National Institute of Blind People to form The Eyes Have It.

Since its formation, the partnership has organised two parliamentary events to raise the profile of eye health. Calls from the sector bodies have resulted in the appointment of a national clinical director for eye care.

At the most recent Westminster Eye Health Day, the partnership called on MPs to establish a national plan for eye care in England. Battersea MP, Marsha de Cordova, subsequently announced plans to table a bill in parliament for a national eye health strategy in England.

The Positive Impact in Healthcare Award recognises a team or individual from a business that has innovated or shown leadership in a way that has brought about positive social or environmental change in the UK.

Chief executive officer and founder of OVID Health, Jenny Ousbey, said: “We’re thrilled to be up for this award – The Eyes Have It partnership is a fantastic example of purpose-driven communications and advocacy work that has genuinely delivered a real-world impact for people experiencing sight loss. We’re honoured to have created this campaign on behalf of our client Roche - it really epitomises how partnership-working can drive transformational change. We look forward to evolving The Eyes Have It in 2023 to secure an even better future for eye health in the UK.”

The winners of the New Statesman Positive Impact Awards will be announced at an evening drinks reception on Tuesday 6 December at the IET London: Savoy Place.