Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Spotlight on vision rehabilitation County Borough Council

Ian Moran, rehabilitation officer How would you describe Who makes up your team? at Rhondda Cynon Taf County’s your service? We have a sensory services manager, Vision Rehabilitation Service, We provide vision rehabilitation, three rehabilitation officers and one tells us about the services they registration and support to people who rehabilitation assistant. provide. He highlights how have a sight impairment. We have a population of over 235,000. There are What’s working really well they work towards the goals some urban areas but is primarily very about your service? of See, Plan, Provide, seeing rural as it is situated in the Welsh Valleys. Our service looks to deliver an early people for specialist face to face This is one of the biggest challenges response to every referral wherever assessments and having plans for blind and partially sighted people possible. When our team receives a in place within 28 days; and how living in the area as public transport in CVI, we log the person’s details on to Rhondda has significant limitations. they meet several Good our computer system then the case is immediately allocated to a rehabilitation Practice Principles. How many clients do you work officer who will contact them by with? telephone within one day (Principle 1). There are approximately 1,180 registered The rehabilitation officer will discuss blind and partially sighted people in registration, what our service can offer Rhondda. The team receive around 340 and find out about their needs. referrals a year for people with sight Our service also receives a large number loss. Roughly a third of referrals are from of self-referrals through our contact Certificates of Vision Impairment (CVIs). centre. Our sensory team manager has However, we also receive referrals from worked closely with the contact centre low vision services, other social care and to design scripts to equip staff to ask the housing professionals as well as people right questions when speaking to people contacting our team directly. with sight loss.

2 The rehabilitation officer then alternative solutions. undertakes a specialist assessment with the individual which covers five specific Our sensory team has built strong areas: low vision, communications, links with other professionals such mobility, daily living and technology. We as occupational therapists, social capture the details of each intervention workers, reablement workers and to record the difference the service is physiotherapists, as well as our contact making to each blind or partially sighted centre staff. The council provides sight person as well as to their families. loss awareness training as part of the induction programme, so all staff What I am really proud of is the way our are made aware of the benefits and team has adopted an open environment importance of referring to our vision where we feel comfortable to ask rehabilitation service. It helps that these questions about any issues around our teams are based in the same building as cases. Our team is keen to ensure that ours, making it easier to maintain strong we are continually developing and being relationships and communicate quickly challenged (Principle 10). on specific cases. Twice a year, I work with my manager Over the next 12 months, what or another member of the team to are the main challenges you reflect on a piece of rehabilitation I am are facing and how will you delivering. I share either my session look to address these? plan or a copy of the assessment then The new social care legislation has been I complete the session while being implemented in and this will have shadowed by them. Then we have a an effect on our service. Demands for meeting where they provide constructive the service are increasing due to the feedback on the session plan and my ageing population but we will continue delivery of the session. We have found to ensure that our service delivery is this process incredibly useful as we maintained. We are always looking at all get an opportunity to reflect on our developing the team’s practice and practice and consider different ways will continue to do so over the next to solve problems and come up with 12 months. 3 Three steps of See, Plan 3 are offered a range of services at the specialist assessment. Services and Provide include those that address their eye health, emotional, physical, • See: everyone with a visual impairment financial and social needs and those of must receive a specialist face to their carer if appropriate face assessment. 4 are provided with a vision rehabilitation • Plan: everyone must have a plan in plan within 28 days based on goals place, identifying the outcome of agreed in the assessment the assessment. The first two steps 5 are provided vision rehabilitation must take place within 28 days of first services free of charge, to meet contact with the local authority. agreed assessed needs • Provide: any agreed vision rehabilitation 6 offered a full care needs support must start within 12 weeks assessment when vision rehabilitation of the person’s initial contact with the does not fully meet their needs National Helpline 0303 123 9999 local authority. 7 are provided with equipment, aids or [email protected] minor adaptations free of charge, when Follow us online: 10 Principles of Good it has been assessed that these help, Practice in Vision reduce, prevent or delay the need for facebook.com/rnibuk Rehabilitation more costly care 8 receive information about services or support in a timely manner and in their twitter.com/RNIB All blind and partially sighted people… preferred format 1 receive initial telephone contact 9 have the ability to access vision youtube.com/user/rnibuk within two working days of receipt rehabilitation services in the future of a Certificate of Vision Impairment if required (CVI), referral or self referral 10 are provided vision rehabilitation by 2 are seen and receive a specialist someone who is trained to understand assessment from someone their sight loss related needs with appropriate skills, knowledge, © 2018 RNIB training and qualifications, To download a copy of the 10 principles Registered charity numbers within 28 days of initial contact rnib.org.uk/rehab-principles 226227, SC039316 rnib.org.uk ENG170510