UK Council on Deafness

October 2001 Bulletin

We have moved!

Our new address is

UK Council on Deafness
Westwood Park, London Road, Little Horkesley, Colchester, CO6 4BS

Tel: 01206 274075
Text: 01206 274076
Fax: 01206 274077
Email:
HELPLINE info@deafcouncil.org.uk
Director: j.isaac@deafcouncil.org.uk
Admin: admin@deafcouncil.org.uk
Finance: finance@deafcouncil.org.uk
Opp for Vol: r.hewitt@deafcouncil.org.uk

Website: www.deafcouncil.org.uk

UK Council on Deafness AGM

Our AGM will be on 12th November 2001 at the Regent Hall, Oxford Street, London starting at 11am. After lunch there will be an Open Meeting featuring Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of NCVO, talking about 'Relationships with our members' and then the launch of the publications resulting from the very successful Deaf Action Project. Free entry to the AGM and/or Open Meeting is by ticket only and places are limited, please register by 31st October.

Council on Deafness Publications

In addition to the DAP publications, which will soon be available, the following can be ordered direct from us (all prices include P&P):

• Communication is your Responsibility - HAC (March 1992) Full report £15, Video of Summary £15, Leaflet Free.

• Official Recognition of BSL (October 2000) £5.00

• Communication Issues for HoH & Deafened people Conference Proceedings (November 2000) £5.00

• Genetics Conference Proceedings (March 2001) £7.50

Consultation Responses

Consultation plays an important part in the formulation of policy and regulations. We endeavour to consult our members and submit responses whenever the issues are relevant to deafness.

The Council on Deafness has recently participated in a joint response to the National Care Standards Commission (Registration) Regulations recommending that Care Homes should be required to register to provide for Sensory Impaired People. Thank you to all of our members who contributed to the response.

The Department of Health are consulting on 2 other issues which may impact on deaf people. The first is NHS Complaints Procedure - National Evaluation details at www.doh.gov.uk/NHSDcomplaintsreform and the second one is Fair Access to Care Services and General Principles of Assessment for Adult Social Care details at www.doh.gov.uk/scg/facs . Responses can be submitted electronically, the deadline for both is 12th October 2001.

The Compact Working Group Secretariat are also consulting on Compact: Community Groups Code of Good Practice and Guidance for Public/Voluntary Sector Partnerships details of both at www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/main/gateway/compact.html . Again, responses can be submitted electronically, the deadline for these is 2nd November 2001.

Opportunities for Volunteering

The Council on Deafness is the agent for the Department of Health Opportunities for Volunteering Scheme grants. This ensures that more money is available for organisations working with deaf people. Some new projects that have recently been made possible by an OfV grant are:

Breakthrough (Deaf-Hearing Integration) North, Gateshead. "Funding of volunteers to run the Mobile Advisory Service for Deaf People living in the North-East. The volunteers offer advice and information on the latest aids, opportunities and equipment to all levels of hearing loss."

Royal School for the Deaf, Cheadle, Cheshire. "Provision of training for deaf volunteers to act as Independent Visitors and Befrienders to those students in the school who do not go home at weekends or holidays."

Cumbria Deaf Association. "Provision of Deaf Awareness training to health and social care staff in the community so that they can better communicate with Deaf and Hard of Hearing People."

All funding for 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 is now committed, but if that changes we will let you know.

Genetics update

Following the very successful conference in March, Genetics and Deafness: Shaping the Future a UKCoD working party has been set up. A questionnaire has been drafted and will soon be sent to all members. The feedback gathered will result in a UKCoD Policy on Genetics and a submission to the Human Genetics Commission. We would like to hear from anyone who is interested in becoming a member of the Working Party.

Committees

An important part of the work of the UK Council on Deafness is representing our members on various national committees. One of these is the Association of Directors of Social Services Sensory Sub-Committee. At the last meeting on 7th September items discussed included PAF Indicators, Registration, Fair Access to Care and free Smoke Alarms. There was also a presentation by Portsmouth Social Services of their Best Value Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Review. Please do contact us if you would like further details of these topics or would like us to raise any matters at the next meeting.

A profile of a member organisation

Breakthrough Deaf-Hearing Integration. The aim of Breakthrough is to develop innovative work with deaf and hearing people which enables them to improve their quality of life through Contact, Information and Training. Breakthrough works towards ensuring that there are effective and equal partnerships between deaf and hearing people, also that deaf people are encouraged to develop their skills and potential as role models. Our policy of Total Communication offers a choice of methods which enable deaf and hearing people to communicate effectively and integration is promoted through partnership in education, work and social situations. We have Regional Centres in London, Birmingham, Southern Counties and the North. A wide range of services are offered at each centre including mobile advisory vehicles, contact groups and training courses.

For further information contact:
Breakthrough Deaf-Hearing Integration, Alan Geale House, The Close, Westhill Campus, Bristol Road, Birmingham, B29 6LN Tel 0121 415 2289 (voice/text) 0121 415 2323 (fax) info@breakthrough-dhi.org.uk www.breakthrough-dhi.org.uk

UK Council on Deafness, Registered Charity Number 1038448

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