Communicate threatened with closure

[Keren Down]

I'm really concerned to hear that Communicate is threatened with closure (in
its current form as a specialist regional centre) for what appears to be cost
saving reasons.

From what I understand the North East Regional Specialised Services
Commissioning Group (NESCG) , NORSCORE (NESCG Core Commissioning Group)
and Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Trust (NTW) confirmed on April 24th
that Communicate is to be "reconfigured" from an interdisciplinary Allied Health
Profession service offering Regional Specialist Communication Aid Services to a
predominantly Clinical Engineering service running an equipment pool.

The money saved from cutting staff posts will go towards increasing the size
of the “regional equipment pool” that has been run by Communicate since
1983. This is despite the need for specialist assessment being recognised by
Government and the fact that new money is shortly to be released to
establish and strengthen regional provision of communication aids.  The
Communicate Visiting Assessment Service Team also helps borrowers to
identify the most appropriate equipment for local assessment and equipment
trials and this support will also be lost. This appears to be a classic
misunderstanding by commissioners that value comes from supplying
equipment rather than the assessment and support service that makes that
equipment relevant and sustained within people's lives.

The closure plan goes directly against all Government policy, guidance and
intent for provision of communication aid services, eg. “Better
Communication”, and ignores the opportunities for “Pathfinder funding” or
government grants via BECTa which aim to stabilize and improve regional
specialist communication aid services.

Given that communication technology is the area of greatest under-
investment across all asisstive technology service delivery and the recent
recognition of the need for support for communication disabled children this
appears to be unjustifiable. I am also concerned that guidance on patient and
public involvement is not being complied with as I am unaware of the decision
being based on consultation with current service users.

SCOPE is leading a campaign by the The Communication Trust to get the
closure process stopped and the decision reversed.

If you are concerned about this closure and feel you can lend some support to
the campaign to get a more transparent decision making process and a more
sensible outcome, please contact:

Marc Bush
Head of Public Policy
Policy & Campaigns Department
Scope

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email:  Marc.Bush@...

Cheers.

Keren Down
Director
Foundation for Assistive Technology (FAST)