The Carleton Clinic

Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Cumberland House,

Cumwhinton Drive, Carleton Clinic

Carlisle

CA1 3SX

Tel No: (01228) 60 8294

Email:

Our Ref: FRE001-1213-092

Dr Joseph Reddington

Email:

Date: 30 November 2012

Dear Dr Reddington,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – FRE001-1213-092

In relation to your recent request for information received at this office on the 5 November 2012 regarding augmentative and alternative communication devices. Please see the enclosed information below:

Request

Would you please send me details of augmentative and alternative communication devices supplied/purchased by your trust between 31st March 2006 and 1st April 2011? I would like the information broken down by:

1)  Product name (So for example Dynavox Xpress, iPod touch with TapToTalk, BigMack)

2)  Year

3)  and if the device was purchased for an adult or a child (and, as I understand more than one PCT may commission you, by PCT as well).

In summary, I am attempting to find out how many people who have poor or no speech have a speech aid, in particular electronic speech aids, and I would like to know how many have been supplied by the trust during the last five years.

Answer

As on 1 April 2011, Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust took over responsibility for all the general community health services provided in the county (for adults and children) and a small number provided in North Lancashire. Therefore the information provided below includes some information which was at the time part of various Trusts.

The speech and language therapy teams for the Trust are currently separated into different localities and are split for adults and paediatrics. Please see below the answers to your questions for Adult and Paediatric Teams:

Adults

Adults South – this covers all devices purchased for adults for services provided in Barrow, South Lakes and Lancaster Localities (as there is a Service Level Agreement (SLA) in place with North Lancashire Primary Care Trust for their joint speech and language therapy services)

2006/7

4 x Light Writer

1 x Xena Speech Amplifier

1x Xena midi amp/headset

2007/8

1 x Say It! Sam

2008/9

1x Xena Speech Amplifier

2 x Lightwriter

1 x Pathfinder

1 x Vocaflex

2009/10

2 x Go Talk 20

1 x Go Talk 9

2 x Lightwriter

1 x Jive

1 x Switch Assessment Kit

1 x Super Talker 8

6 x Voice Amp

2 x Fluency Enhancer

2 x Servox Digital Larynx

1 x Servox Inton

2010/11

1 x Lightwriter

1 x Tap to Talk 2.1A

2011/12

1 x Go Talk 20

2 x Go Talk 9

1 x Therapy Ax Kit includes

1 x iPad

1 x iPhone

1 x iPod Touch

1 x Software

3 x Speakers

1 x Dynavox Vmax

1 x Dynanox EyeMax

1 x Wheelchair Mount

1 x Floor standing mounts

1 x Tablet PC with Grid 2 software

2012/13

1 x Go Talk Express 32

1 x Quicktalker 12

1 x Super Talker 8

5 x iPad2

4 x iAdaptor Cases for iPad2s

6 x Switch box connectors

2 x Connect Lightwriter LW40

1 x Swift Lightwriter SW1

2 x Pocket Digital Recorder

3 x Servox Inton

2 x Servox Digital

1 x Tape Recorder

1 x VocaFlex

Adult East – this covers all devices purchased for adults for services provided in Carlisle and Eden. The Adult East team have access to devices for short and long term loan via the Regional Communication Aid Service and also liaise with Motor Neurone Disease Association who have purchased communication aids for our clients.

2006/07

1 x Digital Servox

1 x Scanning Lightwriter

2007/08

1 x Smartbox Motion Computing Tablet

2008/09

1 x Unlimiter wobble switch

2 x Advocate

1 x Lightwriter

Adults West – covers West Cumbria. No new purchases were made for Adults West from our Communication Aid budget between the specified dates. However, three laptops and software (React2 for two laptops, and StepByStep for one laptop), were purchased and are loaned to patients. These are not strictly communication aids but are used to supplement face to face therapy. Adults West have a small stock of aids which are loaned to adult patients.

Devices in stock available for loan:

Device / Quantity
Dynavox DV4 / 1
Echovoice / 2
Echovoice EV4 voice amplifier / 4
Miniprinter for Lightwriter / 2
Lightwriter SL1 / 1
Lightwriter SL30 with Dectalk / 1
Lightwriter SL35 / 1
Lightwriter SL35 with Dectalk / 5
Lightwriter SL35 (Big Key) with Dectalk / 3
Lightwriter SL35 with Eurotalk / 1
Lightwriter SL4A / 1
Lightwriter/Scanner SL86M / 1
Scanning Lightwriter SL85 / 1
Nu Vois electronic larynx / 1
Servox digital electronic larynx / 2
Servox electronic larynx / 2
Servox Inton electronic larynx / 1
TouchSpeak version 3.20 / 1

Paediatrics

Paediatrics – North/East, covers devices purchased for children for services provided in Carlisle and Eden.

2008/9

1 x Go Talk 4+

1 x Go Talk 9+

4 x Big Mack

2 x ITalk

2 x Little Mack

2010/11

1 x Alphasmart 3000

2 x Tech Talk

5 Pictorial Communication Board

Paediatrics – West – covers devices purchased for children for services provided in West Cumbria.

2008/9

3 x Dynavox V

2009/10

1 x Smartbox Futurepad with Ingfield Dynamic Vocabularies on the Grid software.

1 x Liberator Eco 2 with Discovery Language package

Paediatrics South – No purchases were made during the period specified for Children in the south of the county by the Trust on the health side. However, the majority of purchases for Children in the South have been made by the Local Authority on the education side.

We have identified that, due to the nature of the information that you are seeking; your request would be more appropriately addressed to Cumbria County Council (the Local Authority) if you wish to find more information on devices purchased for Children in the County.

Their contact details are below:

Corporate Complaints and Information Compliance

Lower Gaol Yard
The Courts
Carlisle
CA3 8NA

Tel: 01228 221234

Fax: 01228 226706

Email:

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to request a review of our decision you should write to:

Yvonne Salkeld

Head of Information Governance

Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Cumberland House,

Cumwhinton Drive, Carleton Clinic

Carlisle

CA1 3SX

01228 603927

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have a right under section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to apply for a decision by the Information Commissioner as to whether we have properly dealt with your request. Please note that an application to the Information Commissioner may be refused if you have not exhausted any organisational review (complaint) procedure we provide, if there has been undue delay in making it, if the Information Commissioner considers your application is frivolous or vexatious or if your application has been withdrawn or abandoned. The Information Commission can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House, Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Sital Maisuria

FOI Officer

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