Sensory User Working Group
This Working Group maintains a strong commitment to the needs of visually impaired and hearing-impaired citizens. Topics dealt with have included:-
Pavement hazards faced by sensory-impaired people (e.g. cyclists on pavements, litter bins, parking, black bollards and posts), in conjunction with the Hazards ad hoc working group have produced a report which has been submitted to authorities responsible.
Low vision
aids issues; Opticians; Community Care; Banking facilities;
Access issues; the RVI Eye Clinic Liaison Officer post; Low
Vision Aids; various problems with hospitals, including waiting
rooms; collaborative work and increasing links with other
agencies including RNIB, Northumbria Sight Service, Newcastle
Society for the Blind; Audio Descriptive Services at theatres and
cinemas, including UCI and the Theatre Royal.
Labelling
of prescriptions; problems faced by Larayngectomee patients in
hospitals, including communication difficulties; the Social
Service: deaf / blind awareness day.
Dangers
faced from rollerblading staff in supermarkets; Post Office &
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA); NDF Logo; Local Authority
related topics (including Area Committees, social services,
Photographic evidence of access issues & Planning dept;
Digital television presentation services; efforts to re-establish
the Disabilities Working group.
Transport
(e.g. parking at bus stops; announcements at bus stops); GNER
railways; Long Haul journeys; Strategic Rail Authority; Bus
fares; Metro access audit – RNIB transport campaign; Nexus;
NEAT; Talking signs; Joint loan equipment services; Inadequate
lighting in clubs, restaurants, hotels, community buildings; the
Newcastle libraries service catalogues of spoken word;
Inaccessible information formats, including Census
forms.