Abstract
Introduction: The Scottish Sensory Hub, based at the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE), is an exciting development for the sensory sector. Drawing on the experience from deafscotland and Scottish Consortium on Visual Impairment, the Scottish Sensory Hub acts as a platform for the voice of lived experience for anyone in Scotland with Sight Loss, Hearing Loss, Deafness and Deafblindness. The Hub endorses Scottish Government’s See Hear Strategy, and the BSL Scotland Act. It promotes the social model of disability, placing the disabling barriers not on the individual’s condition per se, but rather on society’s inflexibility to make adaptions.
Aims, Objectives, Theory or Methods: The Sensory Hub is a connecting bridge between Government, Third Sector and individuals with lived experience, and will enshrine a human rights-based approach for all. Its key themes are communication, information and mobility. It will develop the social model of disability throughout the sensory landscape in Scotland.
Through partnerships it will support the strategic aims of the national See Hear strategy, to engage with individuals and organisations across the sensory landscape and act as a platform for the authentic voice of lived experience within the sector.
Highlights or Results or Key Findings: 1 in 6 people in Scotland live with some type of sensory loss. The Scottish Sensory Hub recognises that alongside the development of specific services, the promotion of a united sensory literate approach throughout the architecture of Scotland’s health and social care landscape creates an inclusive and accessible environment.
Throughout the COVID19 pandemic, we saw an increased appetite for Health Boards and NGOs to collaborate and demonstrate a cohesive focus on areas of need. Across the central themes of communication, information and mobility, The Sensory Hub has been able to develop platforms of mutual interest and become a bridge between Government and communities.
This presentation will explore its role against the backdrop of COVID19. As society begins to restructure, we will unpack how the creation of truly inclusive service design and sensory-literate planning will help to cement better health and social care practice for all.
Conclusion: In forming the Scottish Sensory Hub, the ALLIANCE has drawn significant expertise from the deaf, deafened, hard of hearing, deafblind and sight loss communities together to consider the common barriers that are faced by those living with sensory loss. We champion this approach towards an inclusive and accessible society.
Implications for applicability / transferability, sustainability and limitations: Sensory loss is a global challenge, and its impact is not fully understood across our health and social care landscape. The aim of this presentation is to share the vision, aim and work of the Scottish Sensory Hub to support awareness raising, knowledge sharing and connectedness on an international stage.