Assessment

Ace Centre Assessment Service

We offer independent interdisciplinary assessments to identify appropriate assistive technology resources for people with physical and/or communication impairments to support their communication and learning.

We recognise the benefits of a partnership approach when completing assessments. Very few people manage effectively in isolation, and we encourage individuals, their families and involved professionals to work together as a team – from the very first step of identifying a need, through to the ongoing review and provision of support needed for each individual to achieve their long-term goals.

If significant others are not involved in the assessment process, this can lead to problems such as a lack of funding, inappropriate recommendations for equipment, training and support, and/or a failure in implementation.  The end result is that the intervention does not succeed, and the individual is unable to move forward.

For these reasons, Ace Centre likes the ‘team’ to be identified from the beginning of the process:  Our main objective is to facilitate closer working with the team to identify and achieve common and realistic goals.

Our assessment and training teams consist of Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Teachers and Technicians.

The Referral Form

A completed referral form is required in support of any assessment requested. The referral form is available:

• From our website (www.acecentre.org.uk)
• On request from our telephone helpline (0800 080 3115)
• On request by email to: enquiries@acecentre.org.uk

The referral form should be completed in as much detail as possible to support the assessment and training team in planning and preparing for the assessment. It may help if the individual and all those who support him/her meet together to discuss the aims of the assessment prior to completing the referral.

Video Support

A recent video of the individual is requested to support the referral. This will help the assessment and training team in planning for the assessment and determining what equipment may be required. Ideally, the video should aim to show the individual:

1. interacting and communicating with others (showing any resources they use)
2. accessing a computer or other technology
3. completing activities that demonstrate the physical movements they are capable of
4. in the typical range of positions they work in

Further information can be found in our Video Guidelines Form.

Prior to the assessment

A service delivery meeting is held once a month to discuss and allocate any received referrals. Once your completed referral form is received it will be discussed at the next scheduled service delivery meeting and 2 members of the assessment and training team will be allocated to complete the assessment. They will then make the necessary arrangements for the assessment and confirm this in writing to those people identified on the referral form.

Who should be involved?

Ace Centre recognises the benefits of a partnership approach when completing assessments. The individual, family members and any professionals identified on the referral form will be invited to the assessment unless otherwise stated. This may include the local Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Teacher and/or Support Worker depending upon the individual’s needs.

The venue

Assessments are typically completed in an environment familiar to the individual. This may be the person’s home, school/college, day centre or work place.

Length of assessment

The length of time required for the assessment will vary but typically takes place over the course of a day. On some occasions it may be necessary to make a second visit and this will be included in the initial cost. The timings for the assessment will be agreed with the referrer initially and subject to modification as necessary dependent on individual needs.

What happens at the assessment?

Two members of the assessment and training team will facilitate the assessment. The session will typically commence with a general discussion with everyone concerned providing an opportunity to share any relevant information and identify aims and expectations.

During the assessment the individual will have an opportunity to demonstrate any resources they are currently using and they will be supported in trying out alternative resources and strategies that might be suitable. It may be necessary to work for short periods, with breaks to set up different equipment and work within the individuals levels of attention motivation and stamina.

At the end of the assessment it is useful if the group meet together again to discuss the assessment and consider potential recommendations and reach shared conclusions and appropriate solutions.

Following the assessment

Arrangements will be made for the loan of any recommended equipment to allow a period of further evaluation. Following this a comprehensive report will be compiled and sent to all those involved in the assessment. The report will summarise the assessment, outline conclusions reached and provide recommendations. The report will also include details of any software or hardware recommended with prices / suppliers and follow up action and/or training recommendations as appropriate.

Please Note: Ace Centre do not supply equipment. Once equipment recommendations have been made following assessment, it is the responsibility of the individual and those providing support to seek funding for the equipment and order it. 

Charges

There is a charge of £3000 per assessment. This allows for: an initial assessment visit by 2 members of the Assessment and Training Team, the loan of any equipment for trial purposes, a comprehensive written report and a follow up review or training session. Additional expenses are incurred if the assessment does not take place at the centre (travel at 45p per mile and overnight accommodation if the location is over 2 hours drive one way).

Please note: An appointment for an assessment cannot be given until we have received the completed referral form, the signed payment for, parental consent (where required) and a video to support the referral. 

If you have any queries about any of the above, please contact Ace Centre’s Assessment Coordinator:

Lisa Farrand – email lfarrand@acecentre.org.uk or telephone 0161 358 0151

Summary of eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the NHS England Specialised AAC Services, a person must:

• Be resident in England
• Be registered with a GP practice in England
• Have a severe/complex communication difficulty associated with a range of physical, cognitive, learning, or sensory deficits
• Have a clear discrepancy between their level of understanding and their ability to speak
• Be able to understand the purpose of a communication aid
• Have developed beyond cause and effect understanding
• Link ideas/ semantic categories and syntactic functions beyond basic requests.

and may:

• Have experience of using low tech AAC that is inadequate for their needs

A person must not:

• Have pre-verbal communication skills
• Lack cause and effect understanding
• Have impaired cognitive abilities that would prevent them from retaining information on how to use equipment

Priority is given to people:

• With a rapidly degenerative condition, e.g. MND.
• With communication aid equipment that has ceased to be functional or is unreliable and does not meet their communication needs
• Facing a transition to a new sector (e.g. school, college, workplace) or currently in rehabilitation provision
• At risk of developing significant psychological problems or challenging behaviour as a consequence of their inability to communicate without a communication aid

Full details of the current national guidance governing eligibility for Specialised AAC Services can be found here. 

If your permanent place of residence is in North West and Thames Valley & Wessex regions, you can apply to Ace Centre for assessment, provision of equipment (AAC devices, specialist access solutions and mounting), and long-term equipment maintenance support.  See full details of our referral process.

If you live outside the North West and Thames Valley & Wessex regions, you will need to contact the NHS Specialised AAC Service operating in your region.  Click here to find out which service you need to contact or enter the GP postcode here

You are encouraged to make contact with your local AAC team for support if you do not meet the eligibility criteria for Specialised AAC Services.

If you are unsure how to access your local AAC team, please ring our free telephone advice line on 0800 080 3115 and we will try to help you to identify an appropriate contact point in your area.

Ace Centre offers a self-funded assessment service. Before you embark on this route we recommend you attend a free one-hour information day appointment. These appointments are not intended to be an assessment of the individual’s needs, but are a useful first step in any effective assessment process.

• See here for more details about our information day appointments and/or to book an appointment.
• See full details of our referral process
• Work in the NHS and need some guidance for commissioning a AAC service? Take a look at this NHS England document. 

There is no cost for an NHS England Specialised AAC Service assessment.

There is a charge of £3000 per Assistive technology assessment.  This includes an initial assessment visit by two members of the Assessment and Training Team, the loan of any equipment for trial purposes, a comprehensive written report and a follow up review or training session. Please note this does not include the cost of equipment recommended as a result of the assessment.

Additional expenses are charged at 45p per mile for assessments away from the centre (and overnight accommodation if the location is over two hours drive away).

Before embarking on this route, however, we would recommend that you attend a free one-hour information day appointment at one of our offices.