Home visits services firm expands to bring more healthcare at home across Northern Ireland

A home visits healthcare team specialising in eye health and providing services across four counties has expanded in recent months to reach even more homes across Northern Ireland.

Specsavers Home Visits Ballymena which has been operated by optometrist Alan Myers for the past seven years, has welcomed a new partner on board, plus four new staff to the team.

Allison Maternaghan, who has nine years of experience within Specsavers and a total of 12 years in Optics, recently became the retail director of the company after undertaking the company’s Pathways programme, a foundation and advanced course which propels staff into management, which she completed in little under a year.

The team, which is made up of the two directors, plus dispensing optician Jill Holmes, optical assistant Paul Dixon, and two administrative staff, Jennah Hamilton and Rebecca Magee, have been based in their new office premises within the Maine Business Centre in Cullybackey, since November 2022.

Allison says the expansion is much needed, such is the need for home healthcare services across Northern Ireland: “Since the pandemic and the easing of restrictions, the number of patients needing at-home healthcare services has skyrocketed, so our domiciliary business needed to expand to meet the demands of those patients in our surrounding areas.

“Our team offers services across counties Antrim, Derry/Londonderry, Tyrone and Fermanagh and we have been reaching out to various community groups and organisations to ensure their members and service users also know we are available.”

Since joining the team, Allison has set up partnerships with Bann Maine West Cluster’s Lunch and Learn sessions, plus has brought coffee mornings to local folds and care homes.

As well as visiting patients at home, the team visit care, residential and nursing homes and folds, making their services available to anyone who cannot visit a store unaccompanied due to a physical or mental health condition.

Allison added: “Reaching out to the local community and ensuring they know what is available to them in their area is so important to us, and we will continue to engage with groups and organisations so we can advise and help those who need our services locally.”