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CALL Scotland Response to Health Bill

Details

A 3 page PDF report - published 2015


Description

CALL Scotland is the Scottish national centre of excellence working in the field of Assistive Technology (AT) and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for children and young people with additional support needs. CALL is funded primarily by the Scottish Government to provide a lead in the field, and provides services to local authorities through partnership agreements. CALL undertakes action research and provides a range of services across Scotland:

  • assessment and support for individual learners requiring AT and/or AAC (funded by local authorities);
  • strategic leadership in partnership with the Scottish Government, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education, Education Scotland, Scottish Qualifications Authority, voluntary organisations, families, schools and local authorities, to inform policy and promote effective practice;
  • Scottish national information and advice service;
  • Professional Learning for teachers and practitioners;
  • Loans of AT for evaluation.

We welcome the opportunity to respond to the Call for Views and we offer our support to the general direction of the proposed amendment. We especially welcome a commitment to placing a duty on Scottish Ministers and through them, Health Boards, to provide communication equipment.

We are concerned that the Amendment, although well-intentioned as noted in the Summary Statement, will not be adequate enough to address the substantive requirements necessary to improve provision for individuals. In order to ensure benefit to those who are affected, the amendment should underpin other areas of protection to people affected.

Our proposed clauses follow on from the general framework set out within Section 46 of the National Health Service Scotland Act 1978 - which relates to provision of "invalid carriages". Although Secondary Statutory Instruments and associated guidance have been set out in respect of Section 46, and would no doubt follow in respect of S46A, their roots lie in the broader commitments laid out in Section 46 itself. Section 46A should follow a similar structure to offer a framework within which any further SSIs and Statutory Guidance can be established.

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