HCC Sensory Service
Referrals can be made through various sources including CVI from hospitals, professionals and self referrals.
Referrals from professionals can be made directly to Sensory Services Duty on:
Tel: 01442 454832
Email: sensory.services@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Self referrals can be made to the HCS Customer Services Centre online or on: Tel: 0300 123 4042
Minicom: 0300 123 4041
Signvideo via Contact us page
SMS Text: 07812 322225
Email: sensory.services@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service
01707 324582
Website: hhas.org.uk
Herts Vision Loss
office@hertsvisionloss.org.uk
01707 324 680
Website- hertsvisionloss.org.uk/contact-us/
Hertfordshire’s Sensory Services Strategy 2020 – 2023
The Hertfordshire Sensory Services Strategy has been developed in partnership with the residents of Hertfordshire with sensory needs in response to our statutory duties as defined in the Care Act 2014 and Children’s & Families Act 2015. A number of national strategies have highlighted the need to work preventatively with people with Sensory needs and this Strategy is also aligned with Hertfordshire County Council’s new social work assessment framework, Connected Lives.
Connected Lives is about ensuring that people are connected with their local communities and recognising that they have a contribution to make to those communities. The principles of Prevent, Enable and Support are core to the work we do with adults, children and young people with sensory needs and this Strategy will outline how a partnership between the voluntary sector, statutory agencies and the Sensory Services team will help deliver this to individuals.
Click here to view the strategy
Click here for the a recording of our recent sensory strategy webinar
Click here for the sensory strategy webinar slides
Contact details for those mentioned in the webinar session:
Accessible Information Standard (DCB1605 Accessible information)
From 1st August 2016 onwards, all organisations that provide NHS care and/or publicly-funded adult social care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard. The Standard sets out a specific, consistent approach to identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting the information and communication support needs of patients, individuals and citizens, carers and parents with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.
The Accessible Information Standard, formally known as DCB1605 Accessible Information, is made up of a Specification and Implementation Guidance.
In August 2017, revised versions of the Specification and Implementation Guidance were issued, following a post-implementation review of the Standard:
- Accessible Information Standard Specification v1.1 (PDF)
- Accessible Information Standard Specification v1.1 (Word)
- Accessible Information Standard Implementation Guidance v1.1 (PDF)
- Accessible Information Standard Implementation Guidance v1.1 (Word)
Click here for further details
Click here for CQC Guidance Meeting the Accessible Information Standards
Support Services
BSL Health Access is now closed however, there are some other services that you can use instead.
NHS111: This is available 24/7 – NHS 111 can help if you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do.
If you’re Deaf and want to use the phone service, you can use the NHS 111 British Sign Language service available in your country:
- England – NHS 111 (BSL) interpreter service
- Scotland – NHS 24 111
- Wales – NHS 111 Wales
- Northern Ireland – NHS 111 Northern Ireland
You can also call 18001 111 on a textphone.
Other: There are several NHS Trusts and NHS CCGs that have signed up to VRS services, provided by various VRS providers across the UK, for more information please visit UKCOD Video Relay Directory by clicking here.
Other useful resources
| RNID – National hearing loss charity | Click here |
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