1. A Right To Speak Supporting Individuals who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Morag Ferguson and Susan Shandley
Educational Projects Managers
AAC Project
NHS Education for Scotland (NES)

2. A Right to Speak: The Background
2007
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), Capability Scotland and Augmentative Communication in Practice: Scotland (ACiP) led a campaign to highlight difficulties experienced by individuals who require to use AAC
RCSLT surveyed AAC provision and showed this was limited in many Scottish regions
2008
Scottish Government set up a Short Life Working Group who recommended national multi-agency guidance was produced
2012
“A Right to Speak” – Multiagency guidance for Health Boards, Local Authority Social Work and Education Departments and the Voluntary Sector

3. A Right to Speak: Vision and Aims
“Individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are included, free from discrimination, and live in an environment that recognises their needs and adapts accordingly”
Strategic Aims
The communication needs of people who require to use AAC are universally recognised
Individuals who require to use AAC have equal access to quality AAC services
Individuals who require to use AAC are supplied with appropriate equipment in a timely manner
Services supporting people who use AAC contribute to developing a robust evidence base for the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of AAC
Source: Scottish Government (2012)

4. A Right to Speak: Making it Happen
Eight recommendations made in “A Right to Speak”
Scottish Government funding over three years ( ) to support the implementation of these
Funding will be used for establishing sustainable AAC services, equipment and education for all those supporting individuals who use AAC.
Working closely and in partnership with key stakeholders
Scottish Government
National, Regional and Specialist services
Service Users and Carers, Education, Health Boards, Social Work, Voluntary Sector

5. A Right to Speak: Funding
June 2012 –
March 2015
£4 Million
Scottish Government
£2.5 Million
for Scotland (NES)
£1.5 Million
NHS Education

6. Scottish Government: Funding
Releasing funds to NHS Boards on an annual basis
Year 1: £621K, Year 2: £855K, Year 3: £1,016K
Can be used to support all aspects of recommendations including equipment and/or AAC expertise / service development / learning
Each NHS Board asked to nominate an AAC Lead to:
Work in partnership with key stakeholders to agree how funds will be used
Oversee spending of funds
Point of contact for AAC Project Managers
Member of AAC Leads working group

7. NES: Funding
Team: Morag Ferguson and Susan Shandley (Educational Projects Manager role) and Anna Girling (Project Co-ordinator)
Role: To support the implementation of the 8 recommendations made in “A Right to Speak”
3 Themes that reflect NES role
Partnerships
Learning, Education and CPD
Research

8. Partnerships Recommendations:
(4) To ensure that people who are required to use AAC have access to appropriate levels of high quality specialist assessment and support delivered as locally as possible, Health Boards and Local Authorities should work in partnership with each other and with National AAC services
(6) To ensure equitable, efficient and safe provision of AAC equipment for people who are required to use it, Health Boards and Local Authorities should work in Partnership with each other

9. Partnerships Partnerships responsible for:
Establishing multiagency regional networks or centres
Building on partnerships to agree priorities, policies and processes for AAC equipment provision
Local AAC are pathways to be agreed

10. Partnerships
Year 1 (2012/13)
3 opportunities to apply for funding, examples:
Consultation events
Increased staffing capacity to develop partnership working
Project exploring new roles
Consultation with individuals who use AAC
Year 2 (2013/14)
1 opportunity to apply for funding (now closed)
Similar themes to projects funded in previous years

11. Learning, Education and CPD
Recommendations:
(3) All AAC service providers should develop and implement a population based approach to the provision of support for people who require to use AAC equipment and services, ensuring that needs are recognised and responded to appropriately within the wider community

12. Learning, Education and CPD
Universal Support Resources
Year 1 (2012/13)
NES commissioned CALL to develop “Universal Support” resources that will support everybody to learn about AAC and how to enable individuals who use AAC to do so effectively
Resources include: On line course, Posters, Leaflets
Require to be piloted – opportunity to view on CALL stand and register interest in pilot
Year 2 (2013/14)
Piloting
Mapping
Implementing
Marketing

13. Learning, Education and CPD
AAC Learning and Development Fund
Year 1 (2012/13)
11 applicants now accessing a variety of training opportunities related to AAC
Year 2 (2013/14)
Process opens today

14. Learning, Education and CPD
AAC Education and Development Framework
The aim is to improve the experiences, opportunities and quality of life for people who use AAC by ensuring that the people who work with them have sufficient knowledge, the required skills and feel confident in their capability to do a good job.
Describes AAC specific knowledge and skills required of workers involved with children and adults who use AAC.
4 Levels: Informed, Skilled, Enhanced, Specialist

15. Learning, Education and CPD
Year 1 (2012/13)
First draft developed
Year 2 (2013/14)
Consultation and Pilot: June 2013 – July 2013
Publication and Implementation: From August 2013

16. Research Recommendations
(1) AAC services to demonstrate the effectiveness of AAC interventions by promoting the implementation of AAC research on specific, targeted and universal AAC interventions
(2) National statistics on AAC to be gathered by relevant agencies to support future gathering of cost effectiveness data on AAC to ensure that AAC funding is sustained in the longer term

17. Research Year 1 (2012/13) 4 Projects Commissioned
Scope current AAC datasets and recommend what data should be collected
Critically appraise methods of measuring outcomes and the application for use in AAC
Develop quality indicators
Critically appraise methods of measuring cost benefit, and cost effectiveness of AAC services
Year 2 (2013/14)
Results from year 1 will inform further research

18. Contact details: Morag Ferguson (Educational Projects Manager (AAC))
Susan Shandley (Educational Projects Manager (AAC))
Anna Girling (Project Co-ordinator (AAC))