Attachment 2
VISION 2020 UK Rehabilitation and Low Vision Committee
Draft Minutes of Meeting, 24/11/16, 13:00 – 16:00 in Meeting Room 5, Lower Ground Floor at RNIB, 105 Judd Street, London, WC1H 9NE
Present:
JP Chair – Jenny Pearce, VISION 2020 UK
AD Andrew Dodgson, Guide Dogs
AF Andy Fisher, Focal Point UK
BD Barry Duncan, ABDO
CS Catherine Smith, Birmingham City University
ES Emma Sands, RNIB Cymru
JF Joshua Feehan, RNIB
MdC Marsha de Cordova, Thomas Pocklington Trust
MBa Mary Bairstow, VISION 2020 UK
MBr Matt Broom, VISION 2020 UK
MC Matthew Carr, Thomas Pocklington Trust
MJ Mercy Jeyasingham, VISION 2020 UK
MB Mike Bell, RNIB – teleconf
PB Paul Bowerbank, ADASS
SM Simmone Miller, RNIB
SL Simon Labbett, Rehab Workers Professional Network
WT Will Thornton, Blind Veterans UK (replacing Julie McCarthy)
In Attendance:
TK Secretary – Tayyaba Kamal, VISION 2020 UK
Apologies:
Bob Hughes, Sight for Surrey (representing Visionary)
Julie McCarthy, Blind Veterans UK (replaced by Will Thornton)
Ken Reid, Scotland VS Group
Peter Locke, Blind Children UK (representing NI)
Sharon Beckett, Sight Cymru – teleconf connection problem
1. Welcome, introductions and apologies for absence (JP)
· All attendees were welcomed, especially newcomers MB and WT. Introductions were given.
· Apologies were read out.
2. Minutes of meeting on 8 September 2016, matters arising not covered elsewhere on the agenda, and progress against Action Log from last meeting (JP)
· The minutes were approved.
· All actions from the Action Log from the last meeting were complete or were covered on the agenda.
3. Promotion of Dr Tom Margrain’s research ‘Outcomes of Rehabilitation Worker Input’
· MB reported Dr Margrain’s research is being published in the international journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science in the next few days.
· RNIB’s Head of Policy and Campaigns Dan Pescod has provided a quote of support for a press release to be issued by the University of Cardiff. RNIBs media team are assisting them to ensure that it receives coverage, particularly in sector press.
· The research report will also go on the RNIB website.
4. Work plan – reports on progress against objectives:
4.1 Local Authorities
a) Progress report on RNIB’s 'See, Plan and Provide' campaign (MB / SM)
· See and Plan campaign update
o MB reported the latest phase of 'See, Plan and Provide' rehabilitation campaign was launched earlier this month and is already making a positive impact.
o Local Authorities are being called on to ensure that rehabilitation is adequately funded and meeting the three steps of ‘See, Plan and Provide’ as part of their budget setting process.
o This has included a briefing being sent to Local Authorities, attendance at the National Children and Adult Services Conference and the launch of a campaigner e-action to allow people to lobby their local councillors on the issue.
o There is continued targeting and engaging with Local Authorities where service changes are planned or those identified as poor performers. RNIB are currently in contact with 24 local authorities in line with this work.
o RNIB have submitted evidence and comments as part of budget consultations to a further seven local councils.
o RNIB have also launched their diary of a rehabilitation officer blog over five days in mid-November. This blog aimed to capture some of the day-to-day work of a rehabilitation officer which was very successful - http://www.rnib.org.uk/diary-vision-rehabilitation-officer
b) Action to enable local societies to monitor Local Authority Care Act compliance and hold commissioners to account (MdC)
· MdC said she is meeting with Rehabilitation Workers and gathering evidence including wages in London. She is also working closely with London boroughs who have been identified as poor performers in liaison with RNIB’s Policy and Campaigns Team.
· Freedom of Information (FOI) requests will be made again spring 2017 to measure against the initial FOI requests in order to measure service changes, waiting times and budgets. A scorecard system will then be produced for Local Authorities to demonstrate any issues or improvements.
· Local Authorities do not necessarily have a separate deaf blind register but information is collected about sensory loss so theoretically data for deaf blind people can be extrapolated.
· It was suggested that SM and MdC should also liaise as there may be areas of mutual interest in their work.
Actions:
4.1(b) MdC and SM to speak to each other about areas of mutual interest in their work.
c) Any reports of interest in this area from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland / Isle of Man (NI) (SB / PL) (Attachments 4ci, 4cii and 4ciii)
· Isle of Man – There was no report for Isle of Man.
· Northern Ireland – JP read PL’s email update:
i) SL and PL met with 17 of the Rehabilitation Workers at the end of September as part of a workshop PL was running on Habilitation. The main aim of SL's input was to establish links between the Northern Ireland workforce and Rehabilitation Workers Professional Network (RWPN), as to date they only have 1 member.
ii) As from 30 September 2016 it was compulsory that all Rehabilitation Workers practicing in Northern Ireland have to be registered with Northern Ireland Social Care Council. Registration is currently £30 per annum and workers have to reapply every five years. 150 hours CPD has to be logged during the 5 year time frame. Random checks are made on CPD Logs at the five year reapplication page.
iii) Letter to be circulated round Sensory Support Team managers this week, advising on RWPN offer and role to try and encourage take up. Letter will also be circulated to Rehabilitation Workers in second phase.
iv) Considering the £30 registration, RWPN have agreed to reduce annual subscription to Northern Ireland workers subscribing by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) registration fee to encourage them to subscribe to both bodies.
v) Northern Ireland Guide Dog/Blind Children UK Habilitation Workers have also voluntarily registered with NISCC to ensure equity in the workforce.
vi) Currently a number of Rehabilitation Workers completing a Deaf/Blind Online Diploma (2year online course) by Gerard Swan.
vii) Currently 2 Trainees in post over the province.
viii) Around 25 Rehabilitation Workers in 5 trust areas and 2 with Guide Dogs. (will try and get a exact figure for next meeting).
· Scotland – BD stated Scotland are currently carrying out an eye care review. Also, low vision is a priority for Scotland.
· Wales – JP read SB’s email update:
o Welsh Government are still looking for the next Chief Optometric Adviser.
o There has been a refresh of the Welsh Government Eye Care 2013-18 strategy (attached) but the emphasis will be on fewer objectives to try and target resources more effectively.
o There has been a submission from the eye care sector to the Eye Care Steering Group (attached) about the needs of people with sight loss (under the Welsh Social Services Well-Being Act 2014 there is a requirement that every local health board/local authority cluster creates a Population Needs Assessment by 31March 2017).
o There is some good Early Intervention work taking place between Guide Dogs, RNIB Cymru and local societies.
o The new Certificate of Vision Impairment was issued on 16September and an accompanying National Patient Leaflet allows the regions to tailor it to the specific organisations working on that patch.
o There continue to be challenges in rehabilitation with some areas not having any support at all, and others not filling posts that are currently vacant.
o ES added Ceri Jackson, Director RNIB Cymru met with the Minister for Social Services and Public Health last week.
o MJ further added Catey Bunce, member of the VISION 2020 UK Ophthalmic Public Health Committee (OPHC) is in talks with the OPHC about including an indicator on sight loss in the Welsh Public Health Outcomes Framework. There will be a teleconference at the end of December.
4.2 RNIB early intervention and rehabilitation project (JF / SM)
a) ‘Principles of Good Practice in Rehab’ – anything further to report
· JF reported the the ‘10 principles of good practice in rehabilitation’ (http://www.rnib.org.uk/rehab-principles) was shared at the Rehabilitation International Congress, Visionary Conference, ADASS conference in Manchester and regional forums around the country. It will also be shared in Nottinghamshire in the next couple of months.
· JF is working with the Sensory Team in the West Midlands in the New Year.
· Support for managers is a key area that is to be addressed.
· SM reported that the case studies demonstrating the principles are now a priority to finalise.
b) Progress with ‘Sight loss: what we needed to know’ Information pack
· SM informed the meeting that the deadline for the evaluation of the pilot for information packs is 9 December. Early indications show eye clinics with ECLOs are the best place to distribute the information packs as patients have a higher recall of the information given to them.
· The report on the evaluation will be ready by late December/January after which the information pack will be updated accordingly.
c) Cost avoidance study – progress
· Cost avoidance study is being commissioned with Office for Public Management (OPM) to demonstrate the value of Vision Rehabilitation services.
· The first draft of the report will be ready this week. It will then be finalised in the next couple of weeks and published by the end of the year.
d) Mentoring programme for training providers - progress
· JF said that the mentoring programme will have accreditation by February 2017.
· It has been agreed with SL that in order to be a mentor, one does not need to be a member of RWPN.
4.3 The Workforce
a) Progress with development of Trailblazer Apprenticeship Standard (CS / SL / AD / JF)
· AD reported the first meeting of the Apprenticeship Employer Group was held on 29 September at Blind Veterans UK.
· Two options for standards were discussed;
(i) standard; and
(ii) straightforward with core and options approach which would be a higher level 6 instead of level 5.
· Both options were investigated after the meeting and the majority of the group voted for option (i) standard.
· AD produced the standard which is now with the group for consultation.
· The next stages include:
o deciding whether the apprenticeship should have a mandatory qualification such as a Foundation Degree;
o finalise draft of the standard;
o have a wider consultation;
o submit the standard by 16 January 2017; and
o produce an assessment schedule.
· It is possible to have students start the apprenticeship in 2017 before the course starts as they can begin training on the job.
· PB agreed to raise the apprenticeship topic at the ADASS meeting next week.
Actions:
4.3(a1) PB to raise the Trailblazer Apprenticeship topic at the ADASS meeting on 2 December.
b) Proposals for continuing professional development (CPD) (SL)
· SL stated he is still concerned about Glasgow Caledonian University’s new graduate diploma in Rehabilitation studies since he was told when he verbally challenged the course they were in a rush so did not have time for consultation.
· It was suggested that SL highlight to the university the safety risk for members of the public who will receive the service and offer assistance to help address this. If this is not fruitful, then a formal letter should be sent from RWPN, the Chair of this committee as well as VISION 2020 UK.
Actions:
4.3(b1) SL to contact Glasgow Caledonian University highlighting concerns about their Rehabilitation course, then inform JP and MJ of the outcome and whether a formal letter needs to be produced from this committee, VISION 2020 UK and RWPN.
5. NICE guidance for ‘Adults with lifelong or very severe hearing or visual impairment: health, well being and social care’ (MB)
· MB reported NICE is developing new guidance on 'Adults with lifelong or very severe hearing or visual impairment: health, well being and social care'.
· No timetable for this process has yet been published, but it will include evidence and intelligence gathering, input from experts and opportunities for stakeholders to submit comments.
· RNIB is a ‘registered stakeholder’ so will be kept informed of the process and consulted.
· MB agreed to update the committee on developments but suggested committee members register as a stakeholder at https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10042
6. Updates from other related work streams or VISION 2020 UK Committees (if relevant)
· Low Vision – formation of sub-group and mapping low vision committee structure (MBa)
o MBa informed the meeting that there has been no further movement on the two outcomes set at the VISION 2020 UK Low Vision Priority Setting Workshop held in April 2016.
o However MBa is involved with the Clinical Council for Eye Health Commissioning, which is putting together frameworks for commissioners on how to commission low vision services.
o Also the Integrated Care project will focus on low vision services in Wales as an interface area.
o The VISION 2020 UK Children Low Vision Sub-Committee’s report for the Helen Hamlyn project for design of accessibility devices for managing day-to-day life will be published in the next couple of weeks. MBa agreed to share the report once released.
Actions:
6.1 MBa to share the report once published of the Helen Hamlyn project for design of accessibility devices for managing day-to-day life with all.
· Integrated Care update – Feedback following workshop re. establishing a Programme Board (JP / MJ)
o MJ explained that the VISION 2020 UK Integrated Care Programme Board has been set up and the next meeting will be held in March 2016.
o MBr and Beverley Duguid, TPT are drafting a project plan.
o An evidence review of integrated care (not just for eye health and sight loss) is to be carried out to see the different versions and what works well and what does not.
o Also, the low vision model in Wales will be looked at.
o MJ has spoken to National Voices about mechanisms for integrated care.