Introduction

The team offers

• a service to all Deaf, Deafblind and visually impaired adults living in Bristol. 
• specialist assessments of an individual's needs and the impact of their sensory impairment.
• direct services and funds other organisations to provide services.

The team's work promotes social inclusion and access to all main stream services.

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Areas of work

• Support to Deaf people in Bristol and those using the Bristol Centre for Deaf People.
• Working with Deafblind people in the community, including an information and guide communication service.
• Specialist mental health service for Deaf and Deafblind people.
• Equipment service.
• Bristol Eye Hospital: support to all sight impaired people using the hospital facilities.
• Community support for sight impaired people.
• Benefits advice service for sensory impaired people.
• Supporting People Service

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Contact details

Adult Community Care
Bristol Eye Hospital
Lower Maudlin Street
Bristol BS1 2LX

Tel. 0117 928 4886
Fax. 0117 929 4170
E mail brsseye@bristol.gov.uk

Adult Community Care - Centre for Deaf People
16 - 18 King Square
Kingsdown
Bristol BS2 8JL

Tel 0117 353 2401
Fax 0117 353 2412
Minicom 0117 944 2168
SMS Text 07813 47446
E mail brssme@bristol.gov.uk

Sensory services supporting people team
Adult Community Care
RNIB
10 Still House Lane
Bedminister
Bristol BS3 4EB

Tel 0117 914 1440
Fax 0117 9141 442
Minicom 0117 914 1443
SMS Text 0777 569 5434

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Services for Deaf people

The team is based at the Bristol Centre for Deaf People and is fluent in British Sign Language.

The team includes:

• A customer services officer, offering the initial access and information service to Deaf people. This includes sign posting and facilitating access to the range of city council and NHS services. A 'drop in' service is offered three sessions a week and pre-booked appointments outside of those times.
• Two social workers doing Community Care Assessments.
• Environmental equipment service.
• Youth worker.

Who it helps:

• Deaf people who need specialist support in relation to communication, cultural and linguistic needs.
• The team is able to communicate fluently in a range of mediums. It helps people stay independent and use mainstream services.

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Services for Deafblind adults

The team have British Sign Language skills and are trained guide communicators.

The team includes:

• A social worker doing Community Care Assessments.
• An information officer funded by the council and based at RNIB, Bristol.
• A guide communicator service for assessed needs. Two guide communicator providers are used: RNIB and DeafBlind UK.

Who it helps:

• Deafblind people needing direct help to use services.
• The aim is to develop personal support networks to enable individuals to live independently.
• The team works to identifying this previously under represented group and develop services to address their needs.
  
  Information about services for DeafBlind people is also available in the following community languages:
  
  Services for DeafBlind people: Bengali - (184kb, pdf)
  Services for DeafBlind people: Chinese - (163kb, pdf)
  Services for DeafBlind people: Gujarati - (197kb, pdf)
  Services for DeafBlind people: Hindi - (156kb, pdf)
  Services for DeafBlind people: Polish - (245kb, pdf)
  Services for DeafBlind people: Punjabi - (176kb, pdf)
  Services for DeafBlind people: Urdu - (134kb, pdf)

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The Mental Health and Deafness Service

The team has British Sign Language skills and includes:

• One Community Psychiatric Nurse
• One Approved Social Worker
• Two Community Care Workers
• One Day Care Organiser

Who it helps:

• Primarily younger profoundly deaf people who are experiencing serious mental distress.
• The team will consider referrals for people outside this category, based on assessment of need.

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Equipment service for sensory impaired people

The team has British Sign Language skills and Deafblind communication skills.

The team includes:

• Two Occupational Therapy Aides
• One Clerk
• One Team Manager (Occupational Therapy Qualified)

Who it helps:

• Visually  impaired people requesting a functional assessment in relation to specific needs around sight loss and its impact on daily living.
• Profoundly deaf people, who use sign language and are disabled, and have specific requests relating to their disability and compounded by communication access issues.
• Deafblind people who have specific requests relating to both hearing and sight loss, requiring help in terms of changes to where they live or work.

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Bristol Eye Hospital Social Work Services

The team is based in the hospital and includes:

• Social Worker
• Secretaries
• One Nurse Counsellor / PALS Nurse (NHS)

Who it helps:

• Available to all patients of the hospital.
• Provides an assessment of need; an opportunity to discuss emotional and practical needs following sight loss and to consider the wider implications of sight impairment. This usually takes place when someone  has been certified eligible for Blind or partial sighted registration or following a sudden loss or deterioration in their sight.

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Community services for visually impaired adults

The team is based in a locality office. It includes practitioners who specialise in working with visually impaired people:

• Two Social Workers.
• One Clerk.

The rehabilitation service is based at RNIB, Bristol and is funded by the council. It includes:

• One advocacy worker.
• One counsellor.
• Four Rehabilitation and Mobility Officers.

Who the team helps:

• Visually impaired adults or Blind people who have social care needs arising from sight loss.
• A specialist assessment is offered for all social care needs resulting from sight loss.
• Appropriate support services are developed to meet people's needs.

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Benefits service for sensory impaired people

The team has British Sign Language skills and other communication expertise skills. The team includes two Benefits Advisors, who also offer specialist training.

Who it  helps:

• All sensory impaired adults living in Bristol who need benefits advice.
• The main emphasis is on disability living allowance and attendance allowance, including review and representation at appeals. This does not preclude advising on other benefits.

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Supporting People for Sensory Impaired People

The city wide team includes nine community care workers.

It offers specialist and accessible support including guide communication, guide help support and sign language communication..

Target Group

• All sensory impaired people requiring support with housing related issues.
• Provides dedicated support sensory impaired people with their tenancies.
• There is a drop in facility via reception for office callers.

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