London Visual Impairment Forum
Friday 27th Sept 2013
9.30am for coffee and networking. 10.00am start
Room 5&6, RNIB, 105 Judd St, WC1H 9NE
Agenda
Present:
Peter Corbett (PC) (Thomas Pocklington Trust) Chair
Jackie Venus (JV) (VISOR) Vice Chair
Sharon Schaffer (SS) (LVIF)
Keith Valentine (KV) (Thomas Pocklington Trust)
Roy Smith (RS) (Thomas Pocklington Trust)
Sarah Hughes (SH) (Thomas Pocklington Trust)
Riccardo Fortunata (RF) (Thomas Pocklington Trust)
Odette Batterel (OB) (Thomas Pocklington Trust)
Fadeia Hossian (FH) (Redbridge Vision Forum)
Femida Dadabhai (FD) (Redbridge Vision Forum)
Dean Apps (DA) (Barking & Dagenham Sensory Team)
Mary Hynes (MH) (VI Camden)
Nyami Enyako (NE) (Lambeth Sensory Team)
Stan Lopes (SL) (Camden Sensory Team)
Miriam Osborne (MO) (Kingston Sensory Team)
Lindsey Towers (LT) (Thomas Pocklington Trust)
Lorraine Lowther (LL) (Sutton Vision)
Mandy Woodman (MW) (Clarity)
Yogeswari Ravindran (YR) (Wandsworth Sensory Team)
Jan Petrovic (JP) (PrioritEyes)
David Samuels (DS) (Moorfields)
Lorraine Stewart (LS) (NBCS)
Rosie Watling (RW) (Appa Me)
Julie Turner (JT) (Appa Me)
Sylvie Macle (SM) (Camden Sensory Team)
Mo Brace (MB) (Sight Action Havering)
Mike Brace (MiB) (Havering Vision Strategy Group)
John Harris (JH) (RLSB)
Richard Holmes (RH) (RNIB)
Guest Speakers:
Louise Stalker, Action For Blind People
Claire Cantor, Nutritionist
Katherine Weston, Access & Inclusion Officer, Maritime Museum
Jenny Pearce, Rehabilitation & Low Vision Group, Vision 2020 UK
Tim Broome, Royal National College for the Blind
Apologies:
Pam Jarmain (PJ) (Nystagmus Network)
Roy Benjamin (RB) (Merton Sports & Social Club)
Roger Clifton (RC) (East London Vision)
Ollie Natelson (ON) (Barnet Borough Sight Impaired)
Mohammed Mohsan Ali (MM)(Newham Eye 2 Eye)
Fran Hibbert (FH) (Merton Vision)
Jo Gray (JG) (Blind Veterans UK)
Sarah Horsfall (SH) (Thomas Pocklington Trust)
Pauline Acott (PA) (Newham Sensory Team)
Rob Harris (Guide Dogs)
Welcome: Introductions were made around the table
Session 1: Introducing:
Low Vision Practitioners Peer Review: Louise Stalker (Action) Clinical lead for RNIB low vision centre, running contracts in Camden & Islington, inc. assessments for people with LD.
· Forum meets quarterly, members include: optometrists, orthoptists, ECLOs, rehabs, some ophthalmologists – to share good practice, experiences. Researchers are invited to present annually.
· Members include both children's and adults low vision services providers.
· Meetings Tues 5.30-7.30pm at RNIB Judd St.
· Attendance is flexible, with some attending quarterly, and some once a year.
· Offer advice on setting up and running low vision services.
· Next Meeting: Jan 2014
· Contact: Louise Stalker if you are interested in participating and/or being on mailing list.
Nutrition & Sight Loss: Claire Cantor, Nutritionist
· Runs specialist workshops for people with VI: 'Guide Yourself to Good Health”. Workshops run in 2 parts (up to 2 hrs each). £40ph plus expenses.
NB. Claire is not a medical practitioner, specific conditions can be researched and recommendations made by Claire, but she is not a doctor.
It was noted that medical advice on nutrition is not readily available in the UK.
· Presentation notes attached and available on LVIF website:
http://lvif.co.uk/category/resources/
For further information contact:
RS: aims to run a session via Metro. Details to be circulated via LVIF network
Maritime Museum: Katherine Weston, Access & Inclusion Officer.
· New in post: No Braille and audio guides currently at the museum.
· Claire is aiming to set them up! Also aiming to run specialist groups for children, and to set up an Access Group for adults.
· Access Group: to advise on accessibility when setting up projects and exhibitions.
· Setting up 2 audio-described tours in early 2014 in assoc with VocalEyes.
Session 2: Adult UK Sight Loss Pathway & the Role of the Local Society:
Jenny Pearce (Chair, Rehabilitation & Low Vision (formerly Future of Rehab)
Group, Vision 2020 UK)
Presentation notes were distributed with the agenda and are available on LVIF
website:
http://lvif.co.uk/category/resources/
The Pathway is also available on the Vision 2020 website, along with the Seeing It
My Way outcomes:
http://www.vision2020uk.org.uk/ukvisionstrategy/sight-loss-pathway
http://www.vision2020uk.org.uk/library.asp?libraryID=2367§ion
Q & A/Disscussion:
· Accessing the Register when held by the Local Authority: be clear about what you want it for. Data is available online, names & addresses are not, because of data protection. Go to the chief officer, and above, in order to access local information.
· Research into this is being undertaken by Pocklington, a co-ordinated approach is essential.
· The London Local Vision Strategy Implementation Programme (a Thomas Pocklington Trust programme) when completed will highlight these issues, and provide a collective voice to address them.
· Provide a signposting resource (A4 sheet with contact info on local support groups and services) for each Sensory Team to distribute comprehensively to those in their team and on their register.
· Getting Vision included into the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) takes much badgering, networking and persistence, but is essential if sight loss needs and services are to be recognised and commissioned. The Vision Strategy Group in each borough of London is engaging with key stakeholders to achieve just this.
· Provision of early intervention is an issue in the present climate of cuts to rehabilitation and support services.
· CVIs and Registrations: numbers are dropping, partly due to a lack of understanding about certification and the benefits of registration.
· The RNIB Sight Loss Data Tool, which carries statistical information on each area is available at: http://www.rnib.org.uk/aboutus/Research/statistics/Pages/sight-loss-data-tool.aspx
· The UK Vision Strategy Leads Networking event is taking place at RNIB, Judd St on 29th October – an opportunity for all those engaged in Vision Strategy implementation to network and discuss common issues/best practice.
ACTION: SS: It was agreed that Accessing the Register and enabling Local
Societies to reach more VI people would be tabled for discussion at a future
meeting (2014).
Session 3: Education support services and opportunities
Lorraine Stewart, National Blind Children's Society (NBCS), Education Support Manager
· Charity for Children and young people up to 25 yrs old
· Now affiliated with Guide Dogs
· Provide habilitation services and education support (1 officer for whole of UK, but plans are in place for expansion), family support (inc. early support at point of diagnosis), customizing large print books, access to technology, recreational activities for families and young people
· Education Support Manager aims to ensure that each child's individual needs are being met at school – despite the postcode lottery. Providing support and advice at every stage of the statutory education system; including Statements at primary, secondary and tertiary levels & support at tribunals.
· For more information and contact details visit: www.ncbs.org.uk
· Lorraine Stewart can be contacted on: 01923 351174
Discussion points:
· Blind children's forums: none currently at NCBS, but signpost to RNIB/Action's Actionnaires, and local societies
· Do not specifically work in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), but have done so when a referral to NBCS has been made.
· Do parents tend to choose mainstream or specialist education options where available? It varies according to each child and their family. Mainstream can work really well IF the child's needs are met. The identifying and meeting of needs is the key factor in determining the right educational environment for each child.
· Advice can be given on transport issues – transport needs to be included on the child's statement.
Tim Broome, Royal National College for the Blind: Training opportunities for professionals and young people
· Residential College for 16 – 25 yr olds
· Transition into adulthood
· Independent living
· Professionals that recognise sight loss and emotional support
· Specialised, adapted equipment and purpose bulit facilities.
· Wide range of subject areas providing training to GCSE, A Level, NVQ, etc
· Skills and employment focused – over 70% gain employment after a 6 month vocational course.
· Many follow careers in music and media.
· Many become self employed.
· The College offers incentives to employers for student graduate placements
· Many of the teachers are visually impaired, and many are industry experts.
· Few students with dual sensory loss
· Much teaching is done on a 1:1 or a 1:4 ratio, there are no teaching assistants
· Each student has an individual timetable, based on an individual assessment
Run FREE taster sessions for potential students:
Have a Go Experience for Young People
http://www.rncb.ac.uk/calendar-detail-29
Run training sessions for adults:
Certificate in Higher Education: working with people with a visual impairment
The award, validated by the University of Worcester, is equivalent to the first year of an undergraduate degree, 120 credits Level 4 (UK) NFQ level 6 (Ireland). It is designed to enhance the skills, knowledge and awareness of the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired and may have other disabilities.
http://www.rncb.ac.uk//,Products_and_Services-35/Certificate_of_Higher_Education__Working_with_people_with_a_visually_impairment_
FREE Professional Development Day for Professionals
http://www.rncb.ac.uk/calendar-detail-32
Contact: Tim Broome: 01432 376 334
Session 4: LVIF Communication
Visionary Update
· Visionary conference is 7-9 Oct in Edinburgh.
· LVIF Business Plan & Activity Update: Peter Corbett
Business Plan has recently been updated by PC – much of the content was still current. Please notify PC if there is anything you would like added.
LVIF AGM: to be held at next full forum meeting on Dec 13th.
· ACTION: ALL: If you wish to stand as a member of the Planning Group please let SS know
· Terms of Reference are available on the LVIF website home page:
http://lvif.co.uk
· News, Events & Good Practice: A Round Robin of member organisations’ news and activities (30 mins)
ALL: Don't upgrade your iphone software to version ios7 if you have a visual impairment! Pocklington Trust and RNIB are looking into this and will feedback to the Forum.
RLSB: has a new website. Feedback on it greatly appreciated
Sight Action Havering: very successful open day at Yew Tree Resource Centre as part of National Eye Health Week
PrioritEyes: got more rehab workers in the whole of Scotland (serving 5 million) than in the whole of London. If you need additional rehab staff contact them as they know people who are looking!
Moorfields: Northwick Park & Ealing Hospitals have a new ECLO
Clarity: working closely with SeeTEC to get people into mainstream employment
Camden SIT: Ongoing consultations around the Care Bill. Centre for Independent Living will, hopefully, be open in 2014. Please send Stan Lopes any info/leads on sensory garden
Lambeth SIT: every library now has talking computers. A new group has been set up to assist VI people to access technology.
Barking & Dagenham: 9th Oct event for World Sight Day – more talks, less stalls. PLEASE ATTEND. Also did a surgery in local library for Nat. Eye Health Week.
Redbridge Vision Forum: running tennis session in assoc with Metro. Had a very successful event with young volunteers from Challenge Network a few weeks ago.
Redbridge Vision Strategy Group: Very successful presentation to Health Scrutiny Committee on 23.9.13 resulting the Vision Strategy's priority action points being tabled for discussion by the Committee in early 2014.
Pocklington:
OB: is now working on the Empowerment Team, setting up VI Forums.
SH: work on the Vision Strategy Implementation Programme is steaming ahead, and completion for March 2014 is in sight.
KV: over 650 stakeholders across London now engaged in the Vision Strategy Implementation Programme
Metro Blind Sports: now have a full time Sports Development Officer
AOB
LVIF AGM: to be held at next full forum meeting on Dec 13th.
If you wish to stand as a member of the Planning Group please let SS know
Terms of Reference are available on the LVIF website home page:
http://lvif.co.uk
Finish
Next Meeting: DEC 13th 10am – 3pm (venue as above)