North East Rehabilitation Officers

Present:

MA, GDBA rehab student

JA, GDBA rehab student

MB, Stanley SSD

KFl, GDBA

BH, South Tyneside SSD

KIA, GDBA

MK, Newcastle SSD

DL, Newcastle SSD

MN, NSBP volunteer

NN, South Tyneside SSD,

JP, NSBP

IW, Gateshead SSD

Apologies:

LB, Sense North

DW, GDBA

WB, AFBP

GC, North Tyneside SSD

AE, GDBA

BMcP, Peterlee SSD

PS, Sunderland SSD

IW asked everyone to introduce themselves, then opened the meeting. The following issues were discussed.

Name for group:

MB suggested NERO - North East Rehab Officers. All present agreed this is a suitable name for the group.

NERO Website:

DL has offered to design the website which will include dates of future meetings, news snippets and information about new equipment. DL will also send out a regular Email to all group members.

RNIB Low Vision Course:

Andy Fisher from the RNIB Low Vision Unit will be holding a two-day Low Vision Therapy course (22nd-23rd October) and a one-day Low Vision Awareness course (1st October) at Mea House.

The charges will be £120 for the two-day course and £65 for the one day. More details, including an application form, have been sent out to various organisations in the North East. More information will also be available at the next NERO meeting.

Social Care Association:

The group discussed the benefits of joining the SCA. It was suggested that it might be cheaper to join as a group. Please find more information about SCA attached to minutes.

Sight North- East:

Northumbria Sight Service & RNIB will be holding an exhibition at the University of Northumbria on August 28th 2002. NERO discussed the possibility of having a stall at this event and was agreed that it would be a good opportunity to promote rehab as a career. It would also give us the chance to demonstrate and promote equipment, sighted guide technique, training and the NERO website.

NERO decided that we will hold a stall and will make further arrangements at next meeting.

Other Matters:

Interesting discussions took place on the following topics.

• Rehab services provided for children and young adults.
• Attitudes from individual service users and families regarding mobility training and using canes.

Speaker:

BH spoke to the group about talking signposts and working with people with multiple disabilities. Please find notes attached regarding BH's talk.

Action Points:

• DL - work on developing website. Will also give feedback on observation of cataract extraction.
• MK - to get explanation from optometrist, regarding 6/1000 on children's BD8 forms.
• MB - to invite Sally Bayliss to next meeting. MB also to bring Carrot Cake to next meeting!!
• KF - to invite NG (GDBA Rehabilitation Officer) to next meeting to talk about children's services in Newcastle.

Next Meeting:

The next meeting will be held at Mea House on 30th July at 1pm.

• Sally Bayliss (Information Officer at RVI) will speak to the group about the services she provides at the RVI.
• Please bring ideas with you about topics to discuss, any new information or products to demonstrate.
• Demonstration of Voila Talking Labels/ Schweizer Modular Colour CCTV & LED Magnifier.

We look forward to seeing everyone on the 30th July.

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Present:

MB, Stanley SSD

DW, GDBA

AE, GDBA

BH, South Tyneside SSD

MK, Newcastle SSD

DL, Newcastle SSD

BMcP, Peterlee SSD

JP, NSBP

MS, NSBP

IW, Gateshead SSD

Apologies:

LB, Sense North

GC, North Tyneside SSD

WB, Action for Blind People

KF, GDBA

JH, Bishop Auckland SSD

KI, GDBA

BP, Chester-Lee-Street SSD

PS, Sunderland SSD

CB, Henshaws

IW opened the meeting by welcoming everyone, and asking to introduce themselves to the group.

Who should attend this group:

It was agreed by all members present that the group should be restricted to rehabilitation workers, technical officers and mobility officers.

Future venue for group:

It was decided that the next three meetings would continue to be held at Mea House but that alternative venues could be considered for the future. A small contribution towards refreshments will be requested from each member for future meetings - an amount was not discussed.

Paying for Speakers:

The possibility of each member paying £10 yearly, to fund speakers was suggested by IW. It was decided collections would be made if and when needed. Some members mentioned that they might be able to get funding from managers for such occasions.

Content of Future Meetings:

It was agreed by members present that for future meetings, half the time should be given to a speaker and the other half to discussions. IW started off by suggesting some possible subjects of discussion and guest speakers for meetings in the future. She then asked fro any other ideas from group members. Suggested subjects were as follows;

• Future training provision for Rehabilitation Workers.
• Future services for visually impaired children and young adults in the North East.
• Multiple Disabilities.
• BD8 System.
• Deafblind issues.
• IT - keeping up with the latest technology.
• Legislation.
• General Social Care Council.
• Development of counselling services/psychology assessments for visually impaired people in the NE.
• Health Services - developments in treatment for various eye conditions.

Possible Speakers

It was suggested that the following groups or professionals could be invited to speak at future meetings;

• Sally Bayliss, RVI Liaison Officer.
• Gill Smith, Low Vision Specialist.
• Susan Coulson, RNIB Links Officer.
• BH - reg. Talking sign posts/multiple disabilities.
• Henshaws Society for Blind People - reg. Future of training provision for rehab workers in the North.
• Henshaws/RNIB - children's module.
• GDBA
• Ophthalmologists - audiovisual presentations of eye ops - MB to look into.
• Phil Thornton - services for children.

Action Points:

BH - to look into information on Birmingham open learning courses. Bernie will also talk about talking signposts and multiple disabilities at next meeting.

MB - will speak to Sally Bayliss about availability of eye operation audio audio presentations/observing eye ops.

BMcP - will look into the possibility of Action for Blind People/RNIB giving us information about Data Protection.

MK - will get information about professional body of Rehab Workers.

DW - will contact professional regarding psychological assessments and possibility of giving talk to group.

Other Matters Discussed:

BMcP mentioned that www.medicdirect have a video of a cataract extraction. She reported that she found this very useful as she felt more able to explain the process of this operation to service users.

BMcP also told us that the BD8 system in Durham, at present, varies in each area. It was suggested that we could discuss how everyone processes BD8's in future meeting.

MK reported that Newcastle SSD have now employed a social worker for deafblind people.

MK also told us that the General Social Care Council comes into practise this year and that anyone working in the care field will have to register eventually. Social workers will have to register in England from 2003. We will discuss how this may affect RO's, in future meetings.

The possibility of setting up a website for the group was mentioned by DL. DL said he would be happy to help set up a website.

AE pointed out that working for GDBA is different from working for SSD or a voluntary organisation as they have less involvement with other agencies. She said that having this group will provide a good opportunity to share information.

BH handed out information to the group regarding the new talking signs service in South Shields. LB also passed on information through JP, regarding Sense North's volunteer support service.

It was suggested that a 'problem section', could be include in further meetings. If anyone is having a particular problem with a case or is requiring information then other members may be able to give advice and support.

Everyone present agreed to think about a possible name for the group. We will discuss any ideas at next meeting.

Dates for future meetings:

It was agreed that the meetings will be quarterly and will be held on the last Tuesday of the following months,

April 30th

July 30th

October 29th

Meetings for 2002 will be held at Mea House and will be from 1-4pm. The meeting room will be booked from 12noon so that members may have lunch together beforehand if they wish to do so.

All members present agreed that IW and JP will continue to run the group in 2002.