As a result of a recent conference Disabling practice? Enabling
Nurses, the Royal College of Nursing (UK) has established a
newsletter for people interested in disability issues.
I believe some list members will be interested in this.
It includes
Details of a recent audit report about equipment
Training Deaf people for nursing
Disability awareness for NHS staff
A call for good practice examples
Solihull conference
Access to clinical placements for nursing students with impairments
Any contributions for the next issue most welcomed.
Any general comments to me please
As I understand some have attachment difficulties I will try to
enclose it as well as attach it
Best wishes
NEWSLETTER STARTS BELOW
Disabling Practice?
Enabling Nurses
DISABILITY NETWORK NEWSLETTER
NUMBER1 MARCH 2000
Welcome to this first Disability Network Newsletter. Following the
recent RCN conference Disabling Practice? Enabling Nurses held at
Baden-Powell House in London we have decided to circulate a regular
newsletter to act both as a contact point for nurses with an interest
in disability and provide topical and relevant information about
disability. This is the first edition and we welcome any
contributions, resources or short articles that will be of interest to
our readers. The conference has certainly started the disability
awareness work of the RCN off in earnest and we hope to run further
disability events as the year progresses. At the conference RCN
General Secretary Christine Hancock told delegates that the RCN
proposed to hold a series of regional events on disability awareness,
one in each region of the country. "We are looking for nurses who
would like to work with us in developing disability awareness
initiatives in their own localities". Are you interested in holding a
local event?
News
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED IN EQUIPMENT SERVICES FOR OLDER OR DISABLED PEOPLE
Standards of disability equipment services are unacceptably low in
some parts of the country according to an Audit Commission report just
published. Patterns of service provision lead to inequality and
inefficiency.
Fully equipped examines the services that are provided to 2 million
people who use an NHS hearing aid; 1 million users of community
equipment services; 750,000 wheelchair users; 400,000 users of
orthopaedic shoes and callipers (orthotics) and 65,000 users of
artificial limbs (prosthetics). These services provide a gateway to
independence and dignity for many older or disabled people. The report
findings include: · Users are often not asked basic questions about
the sort of help that they need. A recent survey revealed that only
36% of new wheelchair users were asked what they wanted from their
chairs; also many users are not given sufficient information or
training in how to use them; · Users often have to wait for long
periods of time for their equipment - for example, the average wait
from a GP referral to the fitting of a hearing aid is 19 weeks, and in
one-fifth of health authority areas, it is over six months; ·
Equipment is not always suitable - one quarter of people who need an
artificial limb do not use it as often as they would like because of
poor fitting; · Equipment is not always of a high quality - NHS
hearing aids are largely based on 1970s analogue technology that has
now been superseded by the digital revolution; · The current
organisation of equipment services is a recipe for inequality and
inefficiency - many equipment services are small and fragmented, and
are characterised by a lack of clinical leadership and senior
management involvement. Audit Commission recommendations include: ·
Users need to be involved and consulted much more closely at all
levels of health and social services as well as with manufacturers, to
provide equipment that is tailored to users' needs and lifestyles; ·
The restructuring of mobility services so that clinical leadership at
specialist centres is provided to improve the quality of local
services; · The integration of health and social services provision
for community equipment and audiology services using the new powers
under the 1999 Health Act; · The Department of Health should raise the
profile of these services through the National Priorities Guidance,
and specific reference should be included in the forthcoming National
Service Framework for Older People; · Quality improvement plans need
to be introduced and implemented as a high priority where equipment
services are poor. This report is the second in a series by the Audit
Commission looking at the services received by older people and how
they can be improved. In particular the Commission is looking at ways
to promote the independence of older people and how health, social
services and other local government services can support this. 'Forget
me not' covered mental health services for older people, and future
topics will include home care charging and rehabilitation. Andrew
Foster, Controller of the Audit Commission, said: "Several million
people depend on equipment such as hearing aids, wheelchairs or
artificial limbs, which have the potential to make or break the
quality of their lives as well as the lives of the 1.7 million family
or friends who care for them. "While some areas are making good
progress, the quality of equipment services is unacceptably poor in
many parts of the country. Long waiting times, unclear eligibility
criteria and poor quality products threaten to undermine plans to
promote independence in the community. A higher priority needs to be
given to these services at all levels of the NHS". Fully Equipped -
The provision of equipment to older or disabled people by NHS trusts
and social services departments in England and Wales <brdiseq.htm>
(ISBN 1 86240 2132) is available from Audit Commission Publications on
0800 502030, priced £20.
WILL YOU BE AT CONGRESS?
This year's RCN congress in Bournemouth will see the second Disabling
Practice? Enabling Nurses workshop in the series of events the RCN is
organising to raise awareness of disability and nursing. The event
will have both Michael Freeney from Disability Matters and Ruth
Northway from the University of Mid Glamorgan speaking. Contact
Felicity Adegbuyi at the RCN for further details Tel 0207 647 3739
Welcoming patients with disabilities
The Grass Roots Group PLC and Churchill Friend Ltd have produced
'Welcoming Patients with Disabilities'. It aims to help readers: ·
Understand the barriers disabled patients face · Find out more about
the law and disabled people · Understand how to meet the needs of
particular groups of disabled people and improve your communication
skills.
Further details are available from:
The Grass Roots PLC
Pennyroyal Court
Station Road, Tring Herts HP23 5QZ
Tel 01442 829 400
Examples of good practice
Do you have an example of good practice, which shows how nurses can
work with disabled people to ensure a high quality of service
provision? Would you be willing to share it with others?
Unfortunately we often hear examples of how disabled people have
received a poor quality service from the Health Service. We also know
that there are examples of good practice out there but, unfortunately,
these do not always get publicised. If we are to improve the service,
which is offered to disabled people, then it is important that we
share our experiences and learn from each other.
I would like to hear from you if you have positive examples, which you
would be willing to share with other people. These might relate to
nursing practice, education or research. Perhaps some could be
featured in future editions of this newsletter and all could be kept
in a database as a resource. Please send details of the initiative and
a contact person to: Ruth Northway Senior Lecturer School of Care
Sciences University of Glamorgan Pontypridd CF37 1DL Tel: 01443 483177
Conferences
Solihull Bioethics Conference
'The Right to Live and be Different'
In February this year, 130 disabled people and parents, delegates from
Disabled People International organisations in twenty-seven countries
in Europe, African, Australia and North America, met in Solihull, UK
to discuss bioethics and human rights. The conference established a
consensus declaration which follows the philosophy encapsulated in the
Phrase; "Nothing about us without us". The following excerpt is
directly from the declaration "We are full human beings. We believe
that a society without disabled people would be a lesser society. Our
unique individual and collective experiences are an important
contribution to a rich, human society. We demand an end to the
bio-medical elimination of diversity, to gene selection based on
market forces and to the setting of norms and standards by
non-disabled people." Within it there is also a commitment to forge
constructive links with health professionals. In the light of genetic
testing and its implications for the whole of society, such that out
genetic profile, if known, may result in refusals on application for
insurance or mortgages, the ethics of bio-technology assumes great
importance to us all, not least to disabled people.
Forthcoming event - call for papers
RCN Rehabilitation nurses forum conference
"Rehabilitation nursing: bringing the future into focus"
13-14th October 2000 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Deadline for receipt of
abstracts is 1st May 2000. For more information, please e-mail Elaine
Sedgwick E-mail to [log in to unmask] or phone the RCN
conference unit Tel 0207-647 3856
Nursing students news
Deaf Students Gain Access to pre-registration Nurse Education
Six deaf students will commence pre-registration education programmes
in mental health nursing at Salford University in the autumn 2000
intake. This will be the first time that deaf students have been able
to gain access to pre registration nurse education and this
constitutes a major landmark achievement in equal opportunities. The
successful outcome can be attributed to the sustained efforts of
National Interest Team for Mental Health Deaf Services working over
the last six years which the Board has actively supported.
The deaf students will participate in a major pilot project, which is
a response to identified service need. The project has been developed
as a result of joint work between Greater Manchester West Education
and Training Consortia, The NHS Executive North West, the University
of Salford and the National centre for Mental health and Deafness
Salford. The project aim is to create an educational environment that
is accessible, supportive and effective for deaf people which will
enable deaf students to attain the qualification of Registered Mental
Nurses and progress to become employed in services where they are
valued for their professional and linguistic skills.
The project aims to benefit deaf clients within mental health services
by providing positive, culturally sensitive and linguistically
appropriate role models and improved communication access in the
clinical area. It will have major impact on issues such as assessment,
treatment and involvement in care, the design of nursing research and
development of evidence based practice designed for or adapted to meet
the needs of deaf people by deaf people.
The pilot has major implications for disabled people in Britain who
rarely find employment within the health service especially within
qualified posts.
Further information can be obtained from
· Sandra Beswick, Head of Mental Health Studies, University of
Salford. Tel 0161 295 2999 · Sue Dean Project Lead, Consortia Lead
Office, Trafford health Care NHS Trust Tel 0161 746 2746 or · Peter Mc
Andrew Education Officer (Mental Health) ENB York
Students with dyslexia
David Wright from the University of Sheffield
[log in to unmask] David is supporting nursing students with
dyslexia and has a web site at http://www.shef.ac.uk/~md1djw/
Clinical Placement Access for Nursing Students with Impairments
The School of Healthcare Studies at the University of Leeds has for
the past three years been carrying out research, funded by The Higher
Education Funding Council for England, into the barriers facing
nursing students with physical or sensory impairments. Interviews with
39 members of the nursing profession revealed a number of
environmental, organisational and social barriers that currently
prevent students with impairments from entering the nursing
profession. As a result of this research the School has designed an
audit tool that assesses the suitability of clinical placements for
students with impairments. The tool measures the suitability of
placements under four criteria: work standards, safety standards,
accessibility standards, and outlook standards.
Further details are available from Sangeeta Richhariya-Leahy (Research
Officer) by e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Publications
New RCN Publications from April 2000
Rehabilitating older people: the role of the nurse
Publication code 001 058, April 2000
Re-enablement means helping people to adapt to changes in their life.
This document looks at the role of nurses in the re-enablement of
older people. It looks at rehabilitation plans and the education of
nurses for this role.
Sexuality and sexual health in nursing practice: an RCN discussion and
guidance document for nurses who want to develop their nursing
practice in the field of sexuality and sexual health Publication code
000 965 This guidance has been developed to help nurses work
effectively in the challenging and sensitive field of sexuality and
sexual health and emanated from a 1998 Congress resolution submitted
by the RCN Learning Disabilities forum. It is aimed at nursing staff
working across a range of settings from hospital to care home, and is
intended to help shape and inform their nursing practice. Health care
organisations too may be influenced to develop policy that addresses
the sexuality and sexual health needs of patients.
Workability - injured, ill and disabled nurses can return to work
Publication code 001 175, April 2000 This document launched under the
Working Well initiative, looks at the advantages of employers having a
positive approach to rehabilitation. It also looks at what employers
must do by law, particularly under the Disability Discrimination Act.
It also gives a series of real-life case studies, and provides
guidance for drawing up and implementing a model rehabilitation
policy.
Press
Recent press highlighting the problems nurses with a disability face
Dinsdale P (2000) Willing and able Nursing Standard. 14(27) 12-13
Newsletter Contacts
If you wish to contribute to this newsletter please send your
contributions to
Sue Thomas Nursing Policy & Practice Adviser. Royal College of
Nursing 20 Cavendish Square London W1M 0AB Tel 020 647 3743 (Email:
[log in to unmask])
The following people are our local points of contact for disability.
Phillip Scullion Senior Lecturer University of Coventry
(Email: [log in to unmask]
Ruth Northway Senior Lecturer University of Mid Glamorgan Wales
(Email: [log in to unmask])
Sally Davies Senior Lecturer Oxford Brookes University Oxford
(Email:[log in to unmask])
Dave Thompson Disability Adviser Warrington Community Health
(Email [log in to unmask]
Philip Scullion
Senior Lecturer
Nursing and Midwifery
School of Health and Social Sciences
Coventry University
Priory Street
Coventry, CV1 5FB
Tel 024 76887969 Direct
or 024 76887928 Reception
FAX 024 76887910
email: [log in to unmask]
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