Minutes and Action points - Friday 28TH JUNE 2013
Chair:Peter Corbett (PC) (Thomas Pocklington Trust - TPT)
Vice Chair:Jackie Venus (JV) (VISOR) (Vice Chair)
Present:
Peter Corbett (PC)(Thomas Pocklington Trust -TPT)
Sharon Schaffer (SS) (LVIF)
Jackie Venus (JV) (VISOR)
John Harris (JH) (RLSB)
Isaac Schling (IS) (RLSB)
Dean Apps (DA) (LB Barking & Dagenham SIT)
Jullen Gordon (JG) (Appa Me)
Rosie Watling (RW) (Appa Me)
Amy Wakefield (AW) (LB Newham SIT)
Nadia Cruddis (NC) (Moorfields)
Miriam Osborne (MO) (LB Kingston SIT)
Elizabeth Jones (EJ) (Islington Talking News)
Mohammed Mohsan Ali (MMA) (Newham Eye 2 Eye)
Michelle Baxter Wickham (MBW) (TPT)
Yogeswari Ravindran (YR) (Wandsworth SIT)
Mo Brace (MB) (Sight Action Havering)
Roy Smith (RS) (Metro & Pocklington Trust)
Toby Davey (TD) (Vocaleyes)
George Ferguson (GF) (British Blind Sport)
Sarah Hughes (SH) (TPT)
Paula Thomas (PT) (GOSH)
Sue O’Hara (SoH) (BlindAid)
Richie Walden (RW) (BlindAid)
Lorraine Lowther (LL)(Sutton Vision)
Sharon Pearlgood (SP) (Guide Dogs)
Louise Stalker (LS) (Action)
Femida Dadhabai (FD) (Redbridge Vision)
GuestSpeakers:
Catherine Walker: Wellcome Collection
Ibiyinka Akande: Dial A Ride Travel Mentoring Service
Princess Mills: Dial A Ride
Sally Chandler: UK Vision Strategy
Apologies:
Julie Turner (JT) (Appa Me)
Stephen Hawkins (SH) (Sutton Vision
Fran Hibbert (FH) (Merton Vision)
Roy Benjamin (RB) (Metro)
Stan Lopes (SL) (LBCamden)
Michelle Rivers (MR) (Croydon SIT)
Pam Jarmain (PJ)(Nystagmus Network)
Masuma Ali (MA) (WFLVF)
Roger Clifton (RC) (WFLVF
Loraine Stewart (LS) (NBCS)
Fadeia Hossian (FH) (VIP & Redbridge Vision)
Jan Petrovic (JP) (PrioritEyes)
Welcome
Introductions around the table were made.
The Wellcome Collection: Catherine Walker
Introduction to what the Visitor Services team offer for visitors with a
sensory impairment.
Large print guides are available (samples
were distributed).
Service assistants are available.
Trained by VocalEyes to give audio descriptions.
Touch tours are also scheduled to accompany each event.
History of the Collection was given.
Some objects from the Handling Collection were brought in
The Wellcome Collection is embarking on a redevelopment
programme from August 2013 – so please visit ASAP as some
galleries might not be as accessible during the year long
redevelopment.
After the redevelopment the Collection will boast more
cafes/restaurant, central staircase, new frontage.
Opening Times:
Tues, Wed, Fri 10-6
Thurs 10-10
Sat 10-6
Sun 11-6
FREE to visit
Aimed at 14+ (younger visitors need parental guidance as some
content is graphic and of a sexual nature)
Groups welcome (for audio and handling sessions)
Wellcome Collection
183 Euston Rd (opp. Train Station) London NW1 2BE
020 7611 2222
Please contact Thomas Pocklington Trust if you need assistance from one of their Link-Up volunteers in order to visit the Wellcome Collection.
Dial A Ride: Princess Mills (TfL Dial A Ride) and Ibiyinka Akande
(Travel Mentoring Service)
Plain text & large print leaflets available at
Available to the elderly & disabled for trips within a 5 mile radius from their home.
Excludes hospital or council run services (who provide their own
transport) – they will, however, transport people to visit patients in
hospital.
Service available 7am-11pm 365 days per year
Book day before, or set up a regular booking (9am-4pm booking
service)
Run by TfL – centralised booking system for whole of London, with
depots spread across the city.
Drivers are trained in disability awareness
First come first served service
Free of charge
Every member can take one friend/carer
Q: Concerns expressed about lack of availability of drivers
particularly for lunch clubs.
A: Better for the organisation to make a group booking in these
cases.
No news of DialA Rides budget being cut, as rumoured.
Action: PM to confirm this
Q: Door to door service not available in Redbridge as yellow lines
make this prohibitive, therefore many people cannot use the service to
take them to their desired destination.
John Daily, Operations Manager, visiting each borough to address
these issues, and ensure that Dial A Ride has same access rights as
buses, blue badges.
Action: PM to look at the situation in Redbridge and feedback to
SS
SoH offered her endorsement and gratitude to the service Dial A ride
run
Dial-A –Ride offers a great free local service, as long as you are
flexible and not deadline driven!
Q: Issues around journey sharing and insurance issues.
A: The driver can call up the call centre, on spec, and add a
passenger to the route they are on
Q: Booking line and complaints line are separate and one won’t
transfer to the other.
A: Yes, there is no provision to combine the two call centres.
Action: PM to look into the possibilities of of the Booking Centre
being able to transfer calls to the Complaints Centre
Local area Panel Meetings are held regularly.
Action: PM to send details of the Panel Meetings to SS with
invitation to attend.
Travel Mentoring Service: Part of Dial-A-Ride
Aim: to promote accessible travel to disabled people.
Provide 1:1 mentoring to enable people to use all forms of
London transport. (must be aged 16 or over).
Also provide awareness training to service providers.
Mon-Fri - call to book an appointment
020 3054 4361
5 travel mentors covering whole of London
Introductory visit and assessment of issues/needs regarding
public transport usage.
Further 1:1 meetings (maximun 10) to go out and about, to
address these issues and give practical tips/guidance to
accessing different modes of transport.
Q: Can these be 10 consecutive days, to the same place?
A: Cannot guarantee 10 consecutive days as each Mentor covers such
a vast area. However, at the end of a set period the Mentor will be able
to recommend whether a person is confident enough to travel alone –
they are not, however, mobility trainers, they are there to enable
people to maximise their usage of London transport.
Travel Support Card available to present to drivers
Q: Do you have the facility to join up with other services? (eg.
mobility training services, local Sensory/Rehab Team (Social Services)
A: No, but they can signpost to appropriate services.
Q: Is anything being done to address the obstructions to VI people
being able able to use transport (eg trees in front of bus stops).
A: Feedback is encouraged. But often specific obstacles are under
local authority jurisdiction. However, if a particular issue presents itself
during 1:1 training this can be raised with the local authority. Feedback
is very important.
Meetings are arranged at the bus stop/station, etc. Parents and or
carers are welcome to accompany.
Q: How do you assess suitability for this service?
A: Multiple disabilities and/or medical conditions might mean that the
safety aspect of independent travel might be prohibitive. However,
carers can still access the Service. There is no defined eligibility
criteria. All is done on individual assessment.
PT recommended Tap Tap See app from Apple, audio descriptive
app, as well as a train app, and various public transport apps.
Action: SS to arrange a speaker to demonstrate some of these
apps.
UK Vision Strategy Refresh: Sally Chandler, Operations and Information Manager, UK Vision Strategy
Vision UK conference on 11th June launched the refreshed UK Vision Strategy.
History of UK Vision Stratgey was given – available on website.
Outcomes and obectives were outlined.
All information is available on the website, as is The Case For Change report.
Success so far:
Cross sector collaboration to address eye health and sight loss needs.
Outcome 1 successes:
Dept of Health now includes a public indicatoir on sight loss
Outcome 2 successes:
Royal College of G.Ps have chosen eye health as one of its priorities
Local Vision Strategy Groups being set up across London in assoc. with Thomas Pocklington Trust and LVIF.
Outcome 3 successes:
Adult UK Sight Loss Pathway launched in 2012
Seeing It My Way outcomes framework launched in 2012
Refresh:
Aims to make the Vision Strategy as applicable today, as it was 5 years ago.
Aims are still current.
Specific needs of children and young people have been expanded.
Recognises that more needs to be done – especially with the aging population.
Early and effective intervention is an economic necessity.
Each outcome in the Strategy now includes a five year outcome overview and priority action points to achieve this.
New Outcomes.
1: Prevention: Everyone in the UK looks after their eyes and their sight
2: Provision of Services: Everyone with an eye condition receives timely treatment, and early, accessible services and support.
3: Participation: A society in which people with sight loss can fully participate.
Next Refresh due in 2018.
Implementing the strategy at local level needs a lot of work. Each country in UK has its own implementation plan, which will be monitored annually. TPT & LVIF are looking to share their local implementation programme across England through Visionary.
Q: Screening Programme to avoid sight loss – can this help lower the 50% of avoidable sight loss?
A: National screening programme currently under consultation. The current screening of 5 year olds is deemed to be adequate. The majority of sight loss happens in older age, so the most important message is to get adults to have regular sight checks.
Clarity is needed to confirm who is eligible for free eye checks.
Children & Young People’s Stratgey being produced and will be
available in the autumn on the UK Vision Strategy website.
Out And Active:
British Blind Sports (BBS): George Ferguson
Head office in Leamington Spa.
Produce magazine (text only and audio format available)
Organise regular ‘Have a Go’ days.
Comprehensive database of VI organisations and sports being compiled.
Also mounting a fundraising campaign.
Members receive a sight classification
Working collaboratively and in partnership with other local and national VI and sports organisations.
UK reps for IBSA - International Blind Sports Assoc.
Individual VI sports clubs are encouraged to become affiliated to BBS.
Athletics, football, swimming, cycling, tennis, Archery, Cricket, TenPin Bowling, Shooting are key sports in BBS.
Awareness and specific training advice is given to any sports clubs wishing to become VI inclusive.
Launch of new website and logo in August.
English Federation of Disability Sports – umbrella Organisation, IFI (Inclusive Fitness Initiative) accredit sports centres as being inclusive to people with disabilities, following a comprehensive training course and facility assessment
Metro Blind Sport: Roy Smith
London based VI sports organisation mounting a comprehensive
programme of sporting events. 40 years old this year!
National Athletics Championships have been running since 1977.
History of Metro was given.
Links are available on Metro website to local trainers and guide
runners.
Some members of Metro are now providing training services.
Dates and details of all sports and events are available on the Metro
website. A monthly online magazine, Metrozine, is also available.
Tennis is the biggest growing sport on the agenda.
Fund sports people to participate international events.
Free membership for under 18 year olds.
Primary club provides some funding to Metro.
Just appointed a Sports Development Officer.
Q: No direct telphone number on website
A: RS and MB will ensure their numbers are there!
Tandem cycling: volunteer front riders are needed!
LVIF Communication:
Visionary Update
No updates to report
LVIF Business Plan & Activity Update: Peter Corbett
Planning Group have been in consultation with TfL regarding floating bus stops on the proposed Cycle Superhighway. Concerns have been raised over tactile paving.
The LVIF have established a Development Sub-group.
East London Vision (ELVis) has funding confirmed and has a Development Manager in place who will also support the Vision Strategy Groups in East London.
News, Events & Good Practice: A Round Robin of member organisations’ news and activities
VISOR: JV is now regional london rep at RNIB members’ forum.
SW group of reps met with Eye Unit at SW London & Surrey to discuss the importance of CVIs, early support, local groups, awareness training with their staff.
BlindAid: Home visiting service thriving, looking to increase capacity. Welfare Rights Officer in place. Telephone support available.
Thomas Pocklington Trust:
MBW: Volunteering schemes in Tele-befriending, Email-befriending, Link-Up (buddy) scheme and Assisted Technology Champions Service all going well, and open to enquiries.
RS: Running awareness raising taster sessions in SE London.
SH: supporting Vision Strategy Groups in SW London,Central and SW London and TfL sub regional mobility forum.
Redbridge Vision: First event was very successful. Looking forward to 2nd event next week. Making links with other local disability organisations. Active in Local Vision Strategy Group which is planning a consultation event in September.
Sight Action Havering: Focusing on lobbying the local CCG, Public Health, etc to get sight loss on the agenda regarding the commissioning of services. Trying to secure the future of the Low Vision Service.
Appa Me: employment support service going well. Free to access this service, but book in advance.
Sutton Vision: Major rebranding, website and database over past 6 months. Now redesigning office! Now have a filmmaker on board to produce a film for the website.
Hackney SIT: Things in pipeline with BlindAid and Local Vision Strategy Group
RLSB: in middle of relocation; closing the Dorton site and moving services to London. Newly established a youth forum to advise on development of services.
Newham IEDA: Vision Strategy under way in Newham. Currently mounting service user consultation events. IEDA team in process of contacting each person on their register for an update.
VocalEyes: Audio description training going well and expanding nicely. London Beyond Sight project of 40 venues now complete and on website. Regents Park Open Air Theatre are presenting The Sound of Music this year. Open House Weekend architecture events happening on 21st/22nd Sept. Interested in finding out if VI people have a favourite art gallery, museum, performance venue.
LVIF: Vison Strategy Groups in East London progressing well, with work starting in the final two boroughs (Hackney and Tower Hamlets).
UK Vision Strategy: piloting a scheme to raise eye health on the commissioning agenda – 3 locations running across country, looking for a 4th site in London. Due to run til 2014.
AOB
Fight for Sight Carrot Night Walk happening on 20th Sept.
Finish
NEXT MEETING:
Fri 27TH SEPT 2013: Room 5&6, RNIB, Judd St 10am-3pm
Sessions include
- LV Practioners Peer Review: Louise Stalker (Action)
- Nutrician & Sight Loss: Clare Cantor, Nutritionist
- UK Sight Loss Pathway & the Role of Local Society: Jenny Pearce (Chair, Future of Rehab Group, Vision 2020 UK)
- Education support services : Loraine Stewart NBCS
DECEMBER 13TH – Christmas party! / ACTION
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