Provision of Communication Equipment and Support: Part 4 of the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016: progress report 2019

Annex B

Template of AAC Service Visits (September 2018 to January 2019)

Purpose: As part of your ongoing involvement in the wider program of work on AAC, we will be keen to hear more from AAC Executive leads, your colleagues (who may be partners from other agencies in delivering this provision), managers and practitioners about the services delivering on the duty to provide communication equipment and support in using that equipment.

The focus of this second round of visits will be on the benefits to people who use communication equipment and support, examples of local progress and outcomes, any issues following on from commencement, innovation and opportunity, and immediate and longer term priorities. The intention is to structure our conversations around those areas.

Hopefully, there may be an opportunity to speak directly with or make contact with people who need and use communication equipment and support in using that equipment in your local area. As part of those visits, (or in advance of those meetings if more convenient) we would welcome your thoughts and views on:

Whether the legislation is making a difference and in what ways? – both benefits and challenges.

What are the priorities you would wish to see reflected in the refreshed AAC national work plan.

What activity is being undertaken locally in relation to e.g. audit, clinical governance, service user feedback, case studies, or other examples of implementing good practice that is of benefit to people who use AAC.

Any local progress in identifying unmet need and effective strategies to do so, (my thanks to those who have responded to the invite to join the short life working group on data and evidence).

Any additional areas for discussion you would wish to include at the visit.

What is your biggest challenge and how are you planning to address this?