National Standards for AAC services

A number of documents have been published by UK government departments, Communication Matters and other organisations to set out and promote national standards for AAC services.

NHS England Guidance

• New Guidance for Commissioning on AAC Services and Equipment (PDF) - March 2016
• New Service Specification for AAC (PDF) - March 2016
• New Specialised AAC Referral Criteria Document (PDF) - March 2016
• All are available via this page on the NHS England website: https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/spec-services/npc-crg/group-d/d01/
• The Accessible Information Standard sets out requirements for NHS and adult social care providers to identify, record, flag, share and meet the information and communication needs of people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.

Communication Matters publications

The following documents describe national good practice and principles for people who need and use AAC services:

• AAC Services Standards (August 2012)
• AAC Quality Standard for Commissioners (September 2011)

Our Outcome Measurement Project published this review of the range of tools and measures commonly used in the UK and appraising them in terms of their usefulness to aided communication measurement:

• AAC Outcome Measurement Project (September 2012)

Office of the Communication Champion and Council publications

Documents on commissioning national services for AAC provision in England:

• Specialised AAC Provision - Commissioning National Services: A Model Service Specification (September 2011)
• Specialised AAC Provision - Commissioning National Services: Final Report (November 2011)

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists publications

Resource manual:

• RCSLT Resource Manual for Commissioning and Planning AAC Services

RCSLT - Website: www.rcslt.org