RNIB Voice of the Customer Focus Groups Making a Better Future for Blind and Partially Sighted People

There are many ways in which blind and partially sighted people can get involved in all the work that the RNIB does to improve the lives of visually impaired people and make a more inclusive society too. 

One way is through getting involved in the RNIB Voice of the Customer research programme whether it might be taking part in regular surveys or joining one of the Voice of the Customer Focus Groups.

Connect Radio’s Toby Davey court up with Ross Hedley from the RNIB’s Research and Insight Team and Hazel Kelly a visually impaired lady from Scotland who has recently taken part in one of the Voice of the Customer Focus Groups to find out more about the research programme and what it is like taking part in one of the groups.

Ross began by giving a background to the Voice of the Customer research programme, the surveys and focus groups from their start up at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns to the current work around the Sight Loss Pathway that Hazel was involved in and the recent campaign around the voting bill which is going through parliament

Hazel explains why she wanted to get involved with the Voice of the Customer Focus Groups, how the groups work and what it was like taking part online in the focus group from her home. Through taking part in the focus group around the Sight Loss Pathway Hazel found through the experience of other group members that eye care services certainly may differ around the UK although there are many common issues that she and other blind and partially sighted people face when accessing eye care too. 

Ross ended by explaining how all the research and findings from the Voice of the Customer surveys and focus groups feed back into all the work that the RNIB does around making a more inclusive society for blind and partially sighted people and Hazel ended by saying she would definitely recommend other visually impaired people to take part in the focus groups to as they don’t take up too much of your time, easy to take part in and you could help to make a change too. 

To find out more about the Voice of the Customer research programme and focus groups and for your chance to get involved too, do either email customervoice@rnib.org.uk, call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 and ask for more details about the Voice of the Customer Research Programme.  


(Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)