Disability Working Group Satellite Group 4
Forth Valley Sensory Centre
"Sensing progress" (Scottish Office Report 1998) evidenced a wide variation in the quality and accessibility of support for both the blind, partially sighted, deafblind, hard of hearing and the Deaf communities in Scotland. Health, social work and the voluntary sector services were found to be often poorly co-ordinated, particularly at the critical point when a final diagnosis of sight loss or hearing loss was made.
The genesis of the Forth Valley Centre was a decision by Falkirk Council to accept the recommendations of the "Sensing Progress" report and to consult the local blind, partially sighted, deafblind, hard of hearing and Deaf community about the creation of a Resource Centre. Consultation with local people with sensory impairment is a vital part of development process and will continue through the planning, building and running of the Centre. Stirling Council and the NHS Forth Valley became involved and the catchment area for the proposed Centre has extended.
The ethos of the Resource Centre will mean that Council Services, Health Services and those services provided by voluntary organisations will be together in the one location. This will mean that the general public can access all services in relation to sensory impairment under the one roof.
The partners in the project are: Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmananshire Councils; NHS Forth Valley; RNIB Scotland; Guide Dogs for the Blind; RNID Scotland; and local groups of blind; partially sighted; deaf and deafblind people. The aim was to create a partnership between statutory organisations and established national charities (that can finance the project and give it long-term stability); and local representatives of the sensory impaired community (who can ensure that the Centre is designed to meet their needs).
A Company limited by guarantee, with charitable status, was seen as the best way to take the project forward. The Board of the Company is constituted to reflect the long-term interests of both the organisational stakeholders and the service users.
The Board is responsible for the financing, design and building of the Centre. It will also take on the long term legal ownership of the project, although the day to day running of the Centre will be delegated to a Centre Co-ordinator reporting to a management committee.
This project will be the first of its kind in Scotland. It is a "centre of excellence" in the heart of Scotland and will reach out to 25,000 people with a sensory impairment and also an estimated 5,000 carers in the Forth Valley area.Within the Centre there is:
- Resource area - with environmental aids and equipment on display.
- Low vision/health room - It is proposed that this area will provide all specialist equipment required for comprehensive low vision assessments, registration clinics and ophthalmic assessments. It will also enable audiology testing and assessments to be made (the room will be sound proofed for audiology purposes).
- Training room - this room will have up to date specialist IT equipment. People with sensory impairments can learn new skills or re-learn old skills in this environment.
- Studios - the studios will enable information to be recorded onto audio tape or CD for visually impaired service users and possibly information transcribed to braille.
- Interview and assessment rooms - there will be rooms for private interviews with clients who wish this. There will also be an opportunity for assessment of children with sensory impairments.
- Hall area - the hall will be multi-purpose, multi-functional. It will enable an opportunity for service users to use the facility as a drop in to meet other people with sensory impairments. Particular groups can also book this room for their own private meetings e.g. the Deaf Club, Macular Disease Association etc.
- Meeting Rooms - there will be another meeting room for smaller groups to meet. The Centre will be staffed by experts who are experienced in assessing and meeting the needs of sensory impaired clients.
By combining existing services in the one location it is anticipated that they will be strengthened, become more specialised, reduce overlaps, prevent duplication and encourage other organisations to bring services to Falkirk and Forth Valley e.g. low vision officer from RNIB, RNID Scotland, Employment and Training Services, Equipment services (RNIB & RNID), Information services, NHS Forth Valley will provide Paediatric audiology assessment and audiology clinics and many other services are currently being developed. The Centre will encapsulate both statutory and voluntary services which will be delivered by a variety of organisations. The Centre is now complete and is attracting a lot of interest not only from service users but service providers, potential volunteers, carers, family members and generally professionals across the board.
The Sensory Centre opens its doors to the general public on 15th August 2005 with an official opening planned for mid October.