Supporting independence through sensory rehabilitation using the Shared Care Record

The Sensory Rehabilitation Team in Thurrock Council has been supporting a young adult with visual impairment and autism over the past six months. This individual manages well with daily tasks and is currently living at home with their father. The primary goal has been enhancing their independence, particularly around travel.

Recently, significant progress was made as the service user successfully learned to walk independently from their home to their grandmother’s house, a journey involving crossing two minor roads and one major road. Future objectives include mastering Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA), developing greater independence at home, accessing specialist autism support, and independent bus travel.

Using the Shared Care Record

To effectively plan and conduct rehabilitation and mobility sessions, the Sensory Team needed comprehensive health information. Typically, obtaining this was challenging, as the service user depended heavily on their father for health support, who was not always able to provide detailed or current medical information.

Accessing the Shared Care Record provided the Sensory Team with reliable and timely health details. This ensured the rehabilitation process could safely accommodate any specific health considerations.

Impact and outcome

Having immediate access to accurate health information via the Shared Care Record significantly streamlined the planning and delivery of support:

• Enabled the Sensory Team to confidently design personalised rehabilitation sessions.
• Eliminated approximately 7-8 hours previously spent chasing GP practices and hospitals for medical details through phone calls, document searches, and awaiting callbacks.
• Improved the service user’s safety and ensured tailored support aligning precisely with their health needs.

Due to the efficiencies gained, the Sensory Team plans to continue using the Shared Care Record regularly, estimating usage around nine times per month, adapting as referral numbers fluctuate.

The difference it made

This demonstrates the value of the Shared Care Record in empowering care professionals to provide efficient, informed, and personalised rehabilitation. Reliable access to comprehensive health information not only saves considerable time but critically enhances the quality and safety of care for individuals navigating sensory and developmental challenges.