title: How do communication aid centres provide services to their clients?
abstract: A survey of the functioning of the six communication aid centres (CACs) in England and Wales was undertaken. All CACs are specialist units drawing clients from a wide area of the country which means that referrals are more likely to come from outside, rather than from within the districts in which the CACs are located. All CACs have developed individual assessment procedures, with some CACs undertaking continuous assessment of clients, and others recommending an aid after a single session. Funding of aids was often a problem because CACs were only able to recommend aid provision and did not supply them; their stocks of aids were used in assessment sessions or for interim loan to clients until a definitive aid had been acquired. CAC staff engaged in a variety of other functions including the organisation of courses, acting as an advice and information service, and undertaking research.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Economics, University of York, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leese
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hennessy
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tolley
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Chamberlain
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stowe
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rowley
mesh_terms: D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014852:Wales