UK Council on Deafness

March 2005 Bulletin

In this Bulletin

• New Members
• New Affiliate
• Health Promotion for Deaf Communities Conference – 10 March 2005
• Towards Equity and Access
• Deaf Awareness Week 2 - 8 May
• Deaf People from Overseas Conference 5 April 2005
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deafness

New Members

Welcome to this month’s new members

Auditory Verbal UK offers therapy to families and training to health and education professionals.
Bignell Park Barns, Chesterton, Oxon,
OX26 1TD. Contact: Jacqueline Stokes, Director. Tel 01869 321492.
Email jacqueline@auditoryverbal.org.uk

Deaf Women Against Breast Cancer
advises and supports deaf people with breast cancer.
31 Alexandra Drive, Wivenhoe, Colchester, CO7 9SF. Contact: David Spayne, Committee Member. Fax 01206 825098.
Email deafbc@yahoo.co.uk

Deafway provide a unique and expanding range of services to deaf people in Preston, Lancashire and from across the UK.
Deafway, Brockholes Brow, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 5AL. Contact: David Hynes, Chief Executive. Tel: 01772 796461
Text: 01772 652388 Fax: 01772 654439
E-Mail: deafway@deafway.freeserve.co.uk Website: www.deafway.freeuk.com

Manchester Deaf Centre provides services to deaf people including Communication Support, Linkworker and a Youth Club.
Crawford House, University Precinct, Booth Street East, Manchester, M13 9GH. Contact: Noel Traynor, Chief Executive. Tel/Text: 0161 2733415 Fax: 0161 2736698 Email: noel.traynor@manchesterdeafcentre.com
Web: www.manchesterdeafcentre.com

Oxford Deaf Centre is a centre for the social and recreational use of all deaf people in Oxon and provision of interpreting.
Oxford Deaf Centre, St Ebbe’s, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 1RL. Contact:
Mrs Jane Tolson, Chair of Trustees.
Tel/Text 01865 243447 Fax 01865 722209
Email deafcentre@oxfordstebbes.freeserve.co.uk

New Affiliate

Welcome to this month’s new Affiliate Organisation

· Maldon and South Chelmsford PCT

Full contact details can be found in the Directory of Affiliated Organisations at www.deafcouncil.org.uk/affila.htm . Affiliation is open to Voluntary Organisations, Public Sector Bodies and Companies that work with or want to be accessible to deaf people.

Health Promotion for Deaf Communities Conference – 10 March 2005

To be held at Britannia Street Conference Centre, London. For health professionals, PCTs, Social Services, project managers and professionals working with deaf people. An opportunity to find out about different methods of delivering health promotion to deaf people. Including presentations on the development of a Deaf Healthy Living Centre in London; Carly Munro, Manager, Scotland Cancer Awareness Project, Deaf Connections in Glasgow with Paul McCusker, Heart Health Development Worker; Healthy Deaf Minds, a series of talks about a wide range of health issues; Herbert Klein, Project Manager, SIGN about the Deaf Patient Involvement Project; Martin Bell, YMCA Fitness Centre Manager, Lorna Bailes, Newcastle Deaflink and Tina Stewart, Contact Development Coordinator, deafPLUS on the Y Slim project - a pilot weight management/ lifestyle programme designed for the deaf community; John Walker, Chair, Brighton and Hove Deaf Equality and Access Forum, on their work to provide a user perspective and develop relevant services through consultation; Shehla Khan, Minority Ethnic Women's Network, on their health promotion projects amongst BEM communities in Swansea; Peter Lavelle, Project Manager, Deafblind UK on the Healthy Living for Deafblind People Project. Last chance to book - contact Sylvie Say s.say@deafcouncil.org.uk

Towards Equity and Access

The long awaited Department of Health Report resulting from the ‘Sign of the Times’ consultation process has now been published. Called ‘Towards Equity and Access’ it is available on the BSMHD website at www.bsmhd.org.uk . The report sets out how mental health services for Deaf people can be improved. Recommendations include: front-line NHS staff being given deaf-awareness training; child protection committees reviewing their procedures to ensure that Deaf children’s needs are being met; every primary care facility having access to sign language translation services; staff in mental health facilities being encouraged to learn sign language. Health minister Rosie Winterton said: "Many Deaf people with mental health problems have not had their needs properly catered for by existing mental health services. We have made £2.5 million available for the NHS to put in place the changes recommended in this document." Welcoming the guidance, Steve Powell, Chief Executive of Sign said: "Mental health services for Deaf people have traditionally been far from adequate. Sign welcomes these recommendations as a major step forward in recognising that Deaf people have special needs when it comes to accessing appropriate mental health care, and redressing this imbalance. This guidance shows how we can improve mental health services for Deaf people so they are no longer discriminated against and receive proper care."

Deaf Awareness Week 2 – 8 May 2005

There are many activities and events being planned around the country for Deaf Awareness Week. To find out what is going on in your area go to the campaign website at www.Look-At-Me.org.uk . If you are planning an event and would like to promote it on the website please email the details to Sylvie Say s.say@deafcouncil.org.uk

Deaf People from Overseas Conference 5 April 2005

To be held at Britannia Street Conference Centre, London. Deaf People arriving in a foreign country, whether as Refugees, Asylum Seekers or Students, have unique needs made even more complex by the absence of appropriate communication support. This conference aims to highlight some of the issues specific to deaf people from overseas and enable professionals working in Health, Social Services and Education to develop an understanding of ways in which mainstream and specialist organisations can address these issues. Chaired by Asif Iqbal, a Trustee of UK Council on Deafness. Speakers include: Penny Beschizza, deaf skills lecturer at Southwark College; Shafait Aslam and Jackie Powell from the London Ethnic Minority Deaf Association; Peter Merrifield, Headteacher at Oak Lodge School; Bharti Patel, Head of Policy, The Refugee Council; Sabina Iqbal, Westminster City Council Social Services; Jane Cook, Nurse Advisor on Social Inclusion with Hillingdon PCT; Asif Hussain, Project Manager at Asian Disability Network. To book your place contact Sylvie Say s.say@deafcouncil.org.uk

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deafness

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 22 March at 4pm at Westminster. Speaking at the meeting will be Maria Eagle MP, Minister for Disabled People. The Minister will be giving the members an update on progress of the £1.5 million investment in promoting BSL and what plans the government has in continuing to support the promotion of BSL; and details of developments in the administration of the Access to Work scheme and what the future plans for the scheme are. Guests wishing to attend the meeting must book their place by contacting the Clerk to the APPG on Deafness, Jonathan Isaac, j.isaac@deafcouncil.org.uk

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