See Hear

9. Summary of recommendations

9.1. Local partnerships should consider options for the introduction of basic sensory checks for example for people of a certain age, and at agreed times in their care pathway.

9.2. At a national level, the Scottish Government should scope out the range of formal and informal training opportunities around sensory impairment awareness, and work with the relevant education, training and qualification bodies to explore opportunities to increase awareness and expertise in the area of sensory impairment awareness, building appropriate content into the core training regimes of different professional groups.

9.3. Local partnerships should audit their skills base in relation to awareness of sensory impairment in the workforce and take steps to address any deficits identified, targeted in the first instance at older people's services.

9.4. Local partnerships (in this instance local statutory and third sector agencies) should be able to evidence that their service planning reflects the need in their area, and reflects appropriate responses to the hierarchy of need outlined earlier.

They should audit current spend and service patterns on sensory impairment, including for carers, in relation to specialist provision and also to those elements of other service provision that impact on people with a sensory impairment. In the light of the findings, consideration should be given to options for service redesign as appropriate;

They should develop care pathways for people with a sensory impairment, which confirm the component parts of the individual's journey. In so doing they should assess performance against the care pathway and the key factors for effective pathways outlined earlier, and use this as the basis for service improvement, and identify the relevant responsibilities across agencies for the delivery of this;

Accessible local information strategies should be developed to include preventative measures and good self-care in retaining sensory health, but also providing information on how to access services.

9.5. There should be robust systems for maintaining information locally, and sharing this between agencies, in relation to people who have received a diagnosis of a sensory impairment at any time from birth onwards.

9.6. Agencies should review their compliance with the Equalities Act 2010 and the UNCRPD Article 9 in relation to sensory impairment, particularly in relation to communication, and give consideration to whether any future action may be required.

9.7. The Scottish Government should issue further guidance in relation to children and young people following the conclusion of work on the implications of the Doran review and the eventual enactment of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill.