Attachment 2
VISION 2020 UK Learning Disability Committee
Minutes of Meeting, 06/06/17, 11:00 – 13:30 in The New Council Room, 4th Floor, at The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, 18 Stephenson Way, London, NW1 2HD
Present:
BG Bruce Gilson (Chair), LOCSU
IK Iain Kennedy, RNIB Scotland
JL Jane Leitch, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth)
JBe Jonathan Beebee, Royal College of Nursing (delegating for Anne Norman)
KS Kathryn Saunders, The College of Optometrists – teleconf (left 1240)
MBr Matt Broom, VISION 2020 UK
SW Scott Watkin, SeeAbility (delegating for Stephen Kill)
In Attendance:
TK Tayyaba Kamal (Secretary), VISION 2020 UK
Apologies:
Anne Norman, Royal College of Nursing (Jonathan Beebee delegating)
Jennifer Brower, ABDO
Rachel Pilling, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
Stephen Kill, SeeAbility (Scott Watkin delegating)
1. Welcome, introductions and apologies for absence (BG)
· All were welcomed to the meeting and introductions given. Apologies were read.
2. Declarations of interest and AOB (BG)
· There were no declarations of interest.
· There were 2 other business:
a) Venue for 2018; and
b) LD Professional Senate.
3. Minutes of the last meeting, 8 March 2017 (BG)
· The minutes were approved.
4. Matters arising (BG)
· Item 5.1, Sight registration for special schools – RP and IK to create mailshot for delegates of VIEW conference about what being registered blind means and the support people need. This is pending.
· Item 5.2, Sight registration for special schools – RP to create wording for ophthalmologists to use in their assessments for children to have vision recorded on the EHCP for JL to raise at the RCOphth Paediatric Sub-Committee. This is pending. 06/06 – JL follow up on this.
· Item 5.3, Sight registration for special schools – RP to send MBr a precis to forward to Claire Roberts, Chair of West Midlands LEHN so sight registration in special schools can be raised as a public health issue. This is pending.
· Item 8.2, Update from members – DR to create proposal on how the committee can frame questions for research and assist with networking with relevant organisations and people. This is pending.
· Item 8.3, Update from members – BG to get in touch with his contacts in the larger, well known opticians to see what range of spectacles they order and whether this is limited to Head Office’s approval. This is in progress. The contacts gave mixed responses including positive, unsure and referred elsewhere. 06/06 – BG to go back to contacts to discuss issues around disability to see if a standard approach can be set across the franchises. Failing this, a letter from the committee should be sent to the franchises.
· Item 10.1, Anything relevant for the cross sector VISION 2020 UK Public Affairs Committee as they engage with Parliament? – SK to check with Donna O’Brien the number of responses SeeAbility have received from the MP constituency briefing and pass to MJ. There were a couple of responses. 06/06 – SW to find out what the responses were and inform TK so these can be circulated to everyone.
· All other actions were complete or covered on the agenda.
a) BIOS functional visual assessment tool (AO)
o No update was received from BIOS. TK to chase up request for update.
Actions:
4a.1 TK to chase up Anna O’Conner and Laura Tuff for update and cc Lesley-Anne Baxter.
b) Sight registration for children in special schools (RP)
o The update from Rachel Piling stated there had not been any further progress.
5. GP LD Guidance (SW)
· The final version of the GP LD Guidance document was received. BG thanked everyone who has worked on this.
· The dissemination of the document was discussed. MBr offered to circulate the document to the VISION 2020 UK members.
· JL suggested page 2 of the document could be used as a poster since it captures the key messages succinctly. The full document and a summary document could be circulated together electronically.
· SW agreed to take comments back to Stephen Kill.
Actions:
5.1 SW to pass on comments to Stephen Kill about the dissemination of the document and a summary document/poster.
6. Improvising vision awareness in autism services article (IK)
· The paper was received. IK informed this was simply for information.
· IK highlighted the article showed that even after a year of receiving training, the autism support practitioners showed a sustained improvement in identifying visual impairment in autistic people with intellectual disabilities.
· It was suggested that commissioners be approached locally who show low scores in this area to get training on their agenda.
· It was also suggested generic information can be used as evidence to show that training improves people’s skills and their ability to do their job.
7. Update from members (All)
RNIB, Scotland (IK)
· Avenues Partnership – RNIB Scotland have partnered with Avenues to run 2-day Vision Champion courses for managers. The champions courses will support staff to recognise potential sight loss and support through the eye care journey. IK asked if anyone knew of the best way to contact Area Optical Committee groups. It was suggested the other members of the committee could be asked about this or LOCSU may be able to assist. KS informed The College of Optometrists run national training events, regional events and CET evenings. KS offered to put IK’s name forward for the national conference in March 2018 if his details are emailed to her along with the details of the topic. KS advised The College of Optometrists prefer research driven topics that are evidence based and have case studies.
· Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) – RNIB Scotland have linked with SSSC to develop open badges for social workers around learning disability and dementia. These have meta data sitting behind the badges with information about courses completed and the persons reflections on the course. One open badge is now live and can be downloaded from the website. IK agreed to circulate the link.
· Training – an article is soon to be published on new and innovative ways for training.
Actions:
7.1 IK to pass on his details and topic details to KS so she can put his name forwards as a speaker for The College of Optometrists’ national conference in March 2018.
7.2 IK to share link for SSSC live open badge.
The College of Optometrists (KS)
· Vision screening in schools – KS had a discussion with Rachel about Public Health England’s (PHE) consultation about vision screening in schools for children 4 – 5 years old. A response will be put in on behalf of the committee. The results will be published soon. KS agreed to forward MBr the link for the results once published.
Actions:
7.3 KS to send MBr link for results of PHE’s consultation about vision screening for children 4 – 5 years old once published.
SeeAbility (SW)
· NHS conference, 20 June – SW and Stephen will be at the conference to inform how people with a learning disability can look after their eyes.
· NICE consultation – Rachel is looking at the consultation for cataracts. The consultation does not say much about people with a learning disability or other conditions such as dementia. MBr informed he is putting together a response on behalf of VISION 2020 UK and agreed to forward this to SW.
· Optical Consumer Complaints Service (OCCS) – SW is involved in advising the OCCS and in suggesting reasonable adjustments to be made.
· Peer Educator Network – 5 new advocacy groups have joined up to deliver the Opening Eyes training to help train people about good eye care as part of the Peer Educator Network.
· Task and finish group – Group chaired by David Brown, NHS England is ongoing to look at better access to sight tests for people (adults and children) with a learning disability. The group met at the end of May. The project has been extended from August to the end of the year. There are plans to work with Dr Maggie Woodhouse, School of Optometry and Vision Sciences at the University of Cardiff to see how things work in Wales.
Actions:
7.4 MBr to forward response for NICE consultation on cataracts to SW.
VISION 2020 UK (MBr)
Future of VISION 2020 UK
· During last week’s VISION 2020 UK EGM, members voted to transfer the assets of VISION 2020 UK to Vision UK, the new umbrella organisation and to wind up VISION 2020 UK. Vision UK will be a collaboration of VISION 2020 UK, England Vision Strategy and UK Vision Strategy. Vision UK will go live on 1 October 2017 and VISION 2020 UK will wind up around the same time. Keith Valentine who is currently the Deputy CEO of Thomas Pocklington Trust has been appointed the CEO of Vision UK. Mercy Jeyasingham has left VISION 2020 UK and MBr is now the Acting CEO.
· VISION 2020 UK will continue its work which will move to Vision UK. The structure of Vision UK is currently being worked out. MBr is included in this work. The committees may come under Vision UK in a different way. It was commented it would be a shame to lose the broad representation of the committees.
Postcards
· The postcards produced by this committee will be adapted for people with dementia by the VISION 2020 UK Dementia & Sight Loss Committee. MBr thanked everyone who worked on the postcards.
8. Work plan 2017-18 (All)
· The work plan was discussed.
· Item 1 – Relaunch of GP LD Guidance is now complete.
· Item 3 – Establish national practice regarding spectacle repair/replacement and produce guidance for parents/carers. It was suggested this could be linked to SeeAbility’s task and finish group.
· Item 4 – Promote published reasonable adjustments for diabetic retinopathy screening. Seek inclusion in NHS England screening guidance. It was reported Rachel is working on promotion on published reasonable adjustments for diabetic retinopathy screening. SW informed he was working with Sarah Marshall, Health Intelligence on an easy read leaflet about diabetic retinopathy for people with a learning disability. MBr offered to contact Sarah for the leaflet to see if the committee can use this.
· Item 5 – Promote recording of learning disability on Certificate of Visual Impairment to improve data collection and item 7 – Project: updating CVI form. This is pending ministerial approval post general election.
· Item 6 – Project: delivering an equal right to sight. The project is ongoing. SW to get further details on the project from Stephen.
· Item 8 – Project: Functional Visual Assessment Tool. As mentioned above, TK to chase up Anna and Laura for update.
Actions:
8.1 SW to speak to Stephen about the possibility of linking SeeAbility’s task and finish group with item 3 of the workplan to establish national practice regarding spectacle repair/replacement and produce guidance for parents/carers.
8.2 MBr to contact Sarah Marshall, Health Intelligence () to request the easy read leaflet about diabetic retinopathy for people with a learning disability.
8.3 SW to get further details on the project ‘Delivering an equal right to sight’ from Stephen and report to all.
9. Anything relevant for the cross sector VISON 2020 UK Public Affairs Committee as they engage with Parliament? (MJ)
· This is currently on hold due to the upcoming changes in the organisation.
10. AOB (BG)
a) Venue for 2018
· The Royal College of Ophthalmologists currently provide their facilities and refreshments for free. However, from 2018 they will be charging for room bookings so we will have to use alternative venues.
b) LD Professional Senate (Attachment items 10b1 – 10b9)
· BG was invited to speak at the LD Professional Senate which was held yesterday. They were interested in helping the committee. BG invited them to attend a future meeting.
· The STop Over Medicating People (STOMP) with learning disability and autism document was discussed during the meeting. MBr agreed to sign up VISION 2020 UK to the STOMP pledge.
· The Positive Behaviour Support document was also discussed during the meeting. BG pointed out the posters are very similar to the committee’s postcards.
Actions:
10b.1 MBr to sign up VISION 2020 UK to the STOMP pledge.
11. Date of next meeting
6 September 2017, 11:00 – 13:30 at The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
Dates of future meetings (all 11:00 – 13:30 at)
· 5 December 2017, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
· 6 March 2018, RNIB
· 13 June 2018, Pocklington Hub, Tavistock Square
· 4 September 2018, Pocklington Hub, Tavistock Square
· 12 December 2018, RNIB
Summary of Actions Table
Item / Action / Member /5.1
(08/03/17)
5.2
(08/03/17)
5.3
(08/03/17)
8.2
(08/03/17)
8.3
(08/03/17)
10.1
(08/03/17)
4a.1
(06/06/17) / Matters Arising
Sight registration for children in special schools
RP and IK to create mailshot for delegates of VIEW conference about what being registered blind means and the support people need.
RP to create wording for ophthalmologists to use in their assessments for children to have vision recorded on the EHCP for JL to raise at the RCOphth Paediatric Sub-Committee. 06/06 – JL follow up on this.
RP to send MBr a precis to forward to Claire Roberts, Chair of West Midlands LEHN so sight registration in special schools can be raised as a public health issue.
Update from members
DR to create proposal on how the committee can frame questions for research and assist with networking with relevant organisations and people.
BG to get in touch with his contacts in the larger, well known opticians to see what range of spectacles they order and whether this is limited to Head Office’s approval. 06/06 – BG to go back to contacts to discuss issues around disability to see if a standard and approach can be set across the franchises.
Anything relevant for the cross sector VISON 2020 UK Public Affairs Committee as they engage with Parliament?
SK to check with Donna O’Brien the number of responses SeeAbility have received from the MP constituency briefing and pass to MJ. There were a couple of responses. 06/06 – SW to find out what the responses were and inform TK so these can be circulated to everyone.
BIOS functional visual assessment tool
TK to chase up Anna O’Conner and Laura Tuff for update and cc Lesley-Anne Baxter. / RP / IK
JL
RP / MBr
DR
BG
SW
TK
5.1
(06/06/17) / GP LD Guidance
SW to pass on comments to Stephen Kill about the dissemination of the document and a summary document/poster. / SW
7.1
(06/06/17)
7.2
(06/06/17)
7.3
(06/06/17)
7.4
(06/06/17) / Update from members
IK to pass on his details and topic details to KS so she can put his name forwards as a speaker for The College of Optometrists’ national conference in March 2018.
IK to share link for SSSC live open badge.
KS to send MBr link for results of PHE’s consultation about vision screening for children 4 – 5 years old once published.
MBr to forward response for NICE consultation on cataracts to SW. / IK
IK
KS
MBr
8.1
(06/06/17)
8.2
(06/06/17)
8.3
(06/06/17) / Work plan 2017-18
SW to speak to Stephen about the possibility of linking SeeAbility’s task and finish group with item 3 of the workplan to establish national practice regarding spectacle repair/replacement and produce guidance for parents/carers.
MBr to contact Sarah Marshall, Health Intelligence () to request the easy read leaflet about diabetic retinopathy for people with a learning disability.
SW to get further details on the project ‘Delivering and equal right to sight’ from Stephen and report to all. / SW
MBr
SW
10b.1
(06/06/17) / AOB
b) LD Professional Senate
MBr to sign up VISION 2020 UK to the STOMP pledge. / MBr
11