Dear all

With reference to the recent messages re DSA Needs Assessments I would
like to make the following contribution to the discussion with
particular reference to 'one particular student at an institution in the
Midlands':

- I am disappointed that Matthew Paul, author of the original message,
did not speak to myself or one of my colleagues at Hereward to establish
ALL the facts before airing his views in his chosen manner.  This would
perhaps have been a more 'customer-friendly' approach.  We are I believe
one anothers customers.
- Contact details of other centres as alternative venues for an
assessment were made available and we recommended that they were
contacted to ascertain availability of assessment dates
- We did write to the student to say that if a cancellation was received
the student would be notified; this does happen, a cancellation for the
middle of December was received this morning
- to be pedantic the student was not having to wait 3 months for an
assessment.  Assessment dates are only offered once a completed
application form is received and confirmation of eligibility for the DSA
received from the LEA.  The application was received on 26 October,
confirmation on 30 October and offer posted to student on 31 October ie
just over two months before the assessment date offered.
- Mick Trott's email clearly states the overall position at Hereward and
the termination of his employment with Hereward is our loss (and our
client's loss) and hopefully his gain however, for the foreseeable
future we are keen to continue to contract his services as an
experienced assessor and he will continue to offer external assessments
through the ACCESS Centre.  All administrative matters and assessment
reports will be controlled by the ACCESS Centre and its team of very
experienced staff.  Mick may also decide to offer his knowledge and
experience in other guises, this is his prerogative (he has to pay for
the Sainsburys food bill after all!) and this work will not be carry the
endorsement of Hereward ACCESS Centre.
- We are keen to improve the service we offer to external (and internal)
clients in any way we can.  Constructive suggestions are always welcomed
and considered when monitoring the services offered.  Year on year the
number of DSAs awarded and assessments completed by everyone have
increased volumes and continue to do so.  Hereward wishes to work with
you all to ensure the students concerned are not further disadvantaged. 
We do not always get it right but I believe (if our monitoring is to
believed) that we do get it right the majority of the time.

Thank you St John and Matthew for drawing this one concern to my
attention.  Let's work on moving forward together to the benefit of all
students eligible for the DSA rather than working in isolation and
failing to communicate effectively.  I firmly believe we can all learn
from one another in a positive and beneficial manner within the
framework which exists in the current awards system.

Kind regards.
John