New legislation has come into force in Scotland which states that a person who has lost their voice or has difficulty speaking must be provided with communication equipment, and support to use it.
The legislation, which was passed in the Scottish Parliament in 2016, and officially commenced on Monday 19 March, is part of the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016.
Guidance on how to implement the new duties will be developed by Scottish Government and sent to Health Boards in May 2018. It is thought the guidance will include:
- a vision statement,
- principles
- definitions of equipment and support in using that equipment.
Work on pathways of care and support for people who use and need AAC is also being taken forward.
CALL Scotland has published a useful article on the new legislation, as well as describing the background to their development.