Issue - meetings

To receive a report which sets out the proposed re-provision ofinterpreting, translation and transcription services for d/Deaf and deafblind people.

Ms Palmer (Manager, Sensory Disabilities) and Ms Sheppard (Senior Commissioner) were in attendance for this item.

1.          Ms Palmer introduced the report which set out Kent County Council’s statutory responsibility under The Care Act 2014, Equality Act 2010 and the Accessible Information Standard 2016 to deliver interpreting, translation and transcription services for d/Deaf and deafblind people. She said that the current service was delivered through a contract with an external provider, the Royal Association for the Deaf (RAD) and was accessed by other public sector partners. The re-provision proposed to recruit three qualified interpreters and one Coordinator to deliver the core of the interpreting work with additional demand met through a Framework Agreement which had integrated use of Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) and Video Relay Interpreting (VRI) Services.

2.          RESOLVED that the decision proposed to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health to:

a)    approve the reprovision of interpreting, translation and transcription services for d/Deaf and deafblind people; and

b)    delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health, or other nominated officer, to undertake the necessary actions to implement the decision,

be endorsed.