A Right To Speak Supporting Individuals who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication Morag Ferguson and Susan Shandley Educational Projects Managers AAC Project NHS Education for Scotland (NES)

A Right to Speak: The Background 2007 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), Capability Scotland and Augmentative Communication in Practice: Scotland (ACiP) led a campaign to highlight difficulties experienced by individuals who require to use AAC RCSLT surveyed AAC provision and showed this was limited in many Scottish regions 2008 Scottish Government set up a Short Life Working Group who recommended national multi-agency guidance was produced 2012 “A Right to Speak” – Multiagency guidance for Health Boards, Local Authority Social Work and Education Departments and the Voluntary Sector

A Right to Speak: Vision and Aims “Individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are included, free from discrimination, and live in an environment that recognises their needs and adapts accordingly” Strategic Aims The communication needs of people who require to use AAC are universally recognised Individuals who require to use AAC have equal access to quality AAC services Individuals who require to use AAC are supplied with appropriate equipment in a timely manner Services supporting people who use AAC contribute to developing a robust evidence base for the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of AAC Source: Scottish Government (2012)

A Right to Speak: Making it Happen Eight recommendations made in “A Right to Speak” Scottish Government funding over three years (2012 - 2015) to support the implementation of these Funding will be used for establishing sustainable AAC services, equipment and education for all those supporting individuals who use AAC. Working closely and in partnership with key stakeholders Scottish Government National, Regional and Specialist services Service Users and Carers, Education, Health Boards, Social Work, Voluntary Sector

A Right to Speak: Funding June 2012 – March 2015 £4 Million Scottish Government £2.5 Million for Scotland (NES) £1.5 Million NHS Education

Scottish Government: Funding Releasing funds to NHS Boards on an annual basis Year 1: £621K, Year 2: £855K, Year 3: £1,016K Can be used to support all aspects of recommendations including equipment and/or AAC expertise / service development / learning Each NHS Board asked to nominate an AAC Lead to: Work in partnership with key stakeholders to agree how funds will be used Oversee spending of funds Point of contact for AAC Project Managers Member of AAC Leads working group

NES: Funding Team: Morag Ferguson and Susan Shandley (Educational Projects Manager role) and Anna Girling (Project Co-ordinator) Role: To support the implementation of the 8 recommendations made in “A Right to Speak” 3 Themes that reflect NES role Partnerships Learning, Education and CPD Research

Partnerships Recommendations: (4) To ensure that people who are required to use AAC have access to appropriate levels of high quality specialist assessment and support delivered as locally as possible, Health Boards and Local Authorities should work in partnership with each other and with National AAC services (6) To ensure equitable, efficient and safe provision of AAC equipment for people who are required to use it, Health Boards and Local Authorities should work in Partnership with each other

Partnerships Partnerships responsible for: Establishing multiagency regional networks or centres Building on partnerships to agree priorities, policies and processes for AAC equipment provision Local AAC are pathways to be agreed

Partnerships Year 1 (2012/13) 3 opportunities to apply for funding, examples: Consultation events Increased staffing capacity to develop partnership working Project exploring new roles Consultation with individuals who use AAC Year 2 (2013/14) 1 opportunity to apply for funding (now closed) Similar themes to projects funded in previous years

Learning, Education and CPD Recommendations: (3) All AAC service providers should develop and implement a population based approach to the provision of support for people who require to use AAC equipment and services, ensuring that needs are recognised and responded to appropriately within the wider community

Learning, Education and CPD Universal Support Resources Year 1 (2012/13) NES commissioned CALL to develop “Universal Support” resources that will support everybody to learn about AAC and how to enable individuals who use AAC to do so effectively Resources include: On line course, Posters, Leaflets Require to be piloted – opportunity to view on CALL stand and register interest in pilot Year 2 (2013/14) Piloting Mapping Implementing Marketing

Learning, Education and CPD AAC Learning and Development Fund Year 1 (2012/13) 11 applicants now accessing a variety of training opportunities related to AAC Year 2 (2013/14) Process opens today

Learning, Education and CPD AAC Education and Development Framework The aim is to improve the experiences, opportunities and quality of life for people who use AAC by ensuring that the people who work with them have sufficient knowledge, the required skills and feel confident in their capability to do a good job. Describes AAC specific knowledge and skills required of workers involved with children and adults who use AAC. 4 Levels: Informed, Skilled, Enhanced, Specialist

Learning, Education and CPD Year 1 (2012/13) First draft developed Year 2 (2013/14) Consultation and Pilot: June 2013 – July 2013 Publication and Implementation: From August 2013

Research Recommendations (1) AAC services to demonstrate the effectiveness of AAC interventions by promoting the implementation of AAC research on specific, targeted and universal AAC interventions (2) National statistics on AAC to be gathered by relevant agencies to support future gathering of cost effectiveness data on AAC to ensure that AAC funding is sustained in the longer term

Research Year 1 (2012/13) 4 Projects Commissioned Scope current AAC datasets and recommend what data should be collected Critically appraise methods of measuring outcomes and the application for use in AAC Develop quality indicators Critically appraise methods of measuring cost benefit, and cost effectiveness of AAC services Year 2 (2013/14) Results from year 1 will inform further research

Contact details: Morag Ferguson (Educational Projects Manager (AAC)) Morag.Ferguson@nes.scot.nhs.uk Susan Shandley (Educational Projects Manager (AAC)) Susan.Shandley@nes.scot.nhs.uk Anna Girling (Project Co-ordinator (AAC)) Anna.Girling@nes.scot.nhs.uk