Visionary NE Regional and National Comparison · Web viewThis document provides comparisons of the main areas of the national report – while it follows in general the structure of

Visionary North East

A comparison of the North East of England against the national picture

Based on the results of the Visionary 2013 Members Survey

Prepared by esra solutions for Visionary North EastWith thanks to Visionary

October 2014

INTRODUCTION

In 2013 Visionary published the results of their national survey of members.

This addressed questions in the following sections:

Local Sight Loss Organisations Today Services Provided People Involved In Member Organisations Quality Assurance and Finance Eye Clinic Liaison officers Interest in Future Development

Information was collected by an electronic survey using Survey Monkey.

Respondents had the option of leaving questions blank.

Responses were received from 74 of the 98 Visionary member organisations (a response rate of 76%).

Within this four of the six Visionary members in the North East participated (67%).

With the permission of these four organisations Visionary made their questionnaires available to esra solutions, who are engaged on a two year project for Visionary North East. This is mapping local services in the North East against the ten Seeing It My Way outcomes to identify priorities for partnership action.

While the survey is not constructed around the Seeing IT My Way outcomes it was felt that a comparison between the North East and the national picture would be beneficial as part of this process. Visionary covers England, Scotland and Wales and this document uses the term “national” to represent these members.

Those interested in these results may also be interested in reading Visionary’s report Views from across the network, A Survey of Visionary Members, by Moira K Stone.

METHODOLOGY

Within the national report, results were expressed as a percentage of the organisations responding to that particular question. As respondents had the option not to answer any question, for the purposes of this comparison we have expressed percentages of the organisations responding to the survey as a whole (74) rather than to any particular question, as we feel this gives a more accurate and meaningful comparison.

This document provides comparisons of the main areas of the national report – while it follows in general the structure of the Visionary report it aims to present this in a simplified format so not all tables and graphs from the Visionary report will be repeated. It also includes some comparisons using analysis of the national results further to that appearing in the national Visionary report.

Visionary NE Oct 2014 Comparison NE Local Societies and National 2

HEADLINE FINDINGS - MAIN NORTH EAST REGIONAL DIFFERENCES

Visionary members in the North East are likely to be in touch with half as many visually impaired people again as those in other parts of England, Scotland and Wales

They have roughly the same number of trustees and staff as member organisations elsewhere, but have fewer volunteers (an average of 80 compared with 128 each nationally).

In the North East a greater proportion of trustees, staff and volunteers have visual impairments themselves.

While societies nationally have average incomes 70% higher and more than five times more reserves than societies in the North East, North East members have not run at a deficit and have more confidence in their future sustainability.

In general more North East societies are providing particular services than the national average.

The greatest differences are in advocacy, employment advice, specialist emotional support, and technology.

However no members in the North East reported providing hospital based services, educational advice, housing or residential care.

Hospitals in the North East with ECLOs are more likely to have them full time than hospitals nationally

Nationally a total of 56 member organisations reported a joint total income of £25,097,533, an average of £448,170 per organisation. Their annual expenditure totalled £27,586,062, an average of £492,608 per organisation (£44,438 more than their average income). They held reserves totalling £41,792,921, an average of £746,302, which represents 153% of their average annual expenditure

In the North East 3 member organisations reported a joint total income of £1,058,525, an average of £263,381. Their total annual expenditure amounted to £1,022,455, an average of £255,614 per organisation (£7,767 less than their average income). They held reserves totalling £578,378, an average of £144,595, which represents 57% of their average annual expenditure


SECTION 1 – LOCAL SIGHT LOSS ORGANISATIONS TODAY

The four responding North East members are in contact with 11,789 Visually Impaired People, an average of 2,947 per organisation.

This compares with 74 organisations nationally in contact with just under 150,000 VIPs, an average of around 2,000 per organisation.

No of Visually Impaired People

North East NationalNo of member organisations

% of respondents

No of member organisations

% of respondents

1001-2000 1 25% 11 15.3%2001-3000 3 75% 15 20.8%

41.6% of members nationally were in touch with 1,000 or fewer Visually Impaired People each.

SECTION 2 – SERVICES PROVIDED

2.1 Emotional support services

Type of service North East National# of orgs % of orgs # of orgs % of orgs

Specialist emotional support or counselling

3 75% 31 42%

Peer support groups 4 100% 58 78%Befriending 4 100% 55 74%Social, sport and leisure 4 100% 71 96%Support for carers 1 25% 42 42%

Emotional support services are provided by 20-30% more of North East members than nationally, with the exception of support for carers, which is 17% lower

2.2 Awareness, information and understanding

Type of service North East National# of orgs % of orgs # of orgs % of orgs

Hospital based service 0 0% 46 62%Advice and information 4 100% 73 99%Visual awareness training 4 100% 60 81%

These are generally comparable between members nationally and in the North East, with the exception of hospital based services which none of the North East members provide, in contrast to 62% nationally.


2.3 Finance and benefits

Nationally 34 members provided welfare benefits advice (46% of total). This compares with 2 members (50%) in the North East.

2.4 Daily living

Service North East National# of orgs % of orgs # of orgs % of orgs

Daily living equipment 3 75% 66 89%Lighting advice 2 50% 58 78%Low vision aid (LVA) clinic 2 50% 44 59%

Fewer North East organisations provide these services, with the difference from the national figure ranging from 9-28%

2.5 Technology

The North East and National pictures are broadly comparable, with 51 members (69%) nationally and 3 members (75%) in the North East.

2.6 Mobility and orientation

Again this is broadly comparable – 32 members (43%) nationally and 2 members (50%) in the North East.

2.7 Campaigning

The proportion of North East members responding (2: 50%) was considerably greater than the proportion of members nationally (27: 36%).

2.8 Communication


Providing information in accessible formats

4 100% 69 93%

Advocacy 4 100% 33 34%

All members in the North East report the provision of advocacy services, compared with 34% of members nationally


2.9 Education services


Education advice 0 0% 18 24%Children and young people’s service

2 50% 28 34%

No North East members report providing education advice, compared to 24% of members nationally, but the 2 North East members providing a children and young people’s service represented 16% more than the 28 national members.

2.10 Employment and volunteering


Employment advice 2 50% 20 27%Volunteering 4 100% 66 89%

23% and 11% more of North East members reported providing these services.

2.11 Accommodation service


Housing 0 0% 10 14%Residential care 0 0% 9 12%

While the proportion of national members providing these services was low (12-14%) no North East members were involved with accommodation services.


2.12 Summary of services provided by member organisation

Type of serviceNorth East orgs National orgs Variance

# % # % +/-Advice and information 4 100% 73 99% +1%Social, sport and leisure activities 4 100% 71 96% +4%Providing information in accessible formats

4 100% 69 93% +7%

Volunteering 4 100% 66 89% +11%Visual awareness training 4 100% 60 81% +19%Peer support groups 4 100% 58 78% +22%Befriending 4 100% 55 74% +26%Technology 4 100% 51 69% +31%Advocacy 4 100% 33 45% +55%Daily living equipment 3 75% 66 89% -14%Specialist emotional support 3 75% 31 42% +33%Employment advice 3 75% 20 27% +48%LVA clinic 2 50% 44 59% -9%Finance and benefits 2 50% 34 46% +4%Rehabilitation 2 50% 32 43& +7%Children and young people’s service 2 50% 28 38% +12%Campaigning 2 50% 27 37% +13%Support for carers 1 25% 31 42% -17%Hospital-based service 0 0% 46 62% -62%Education advice 0 0% 18 24% -24%Housing 0 0% 10 14% -14%Residential care 0 0% 9 12% -12%

In general more North East members are providing services than the national average. North East members are above the national average in 15 services, with variances

between +1 and + 55%. The greatest differences are for advocacy, employment advice, specialist emotional

support, and technology. There are seven services which are provided more widely nationally than in the North

East, with variances of between -9 and -62%. These include four areas which are not provided at all by North East members (Hospital

based service, education advice, housing, and residential care), with variances of between -12 and -62%.

There are three other areas in which the North East members are below the national average (LVA clinic, daily living equipment, and support for carers) at variances of -9 to -17%.


SECTION 3 – PEOPLE INVOLVED IN MEMBER ORGANISATIONS

3.1 Trustees

Nationally local sight loss organisations reported 665 trustees, ranging from 3 to 18 per organisation, with an average of 9.

North East members reported 63 trustees, ranging from 8 to 10 per organisation, with an average of 9.

Nationally societies reported 239 trustees with a visual impairment (36%) and on average each had three trustees with visual impairments.

North East societies reported 21 trustees with a visual impairment (58%) and on average each had five trustees with visual impairments.

Therefore members nationally and in the North East have similar numbers of trustees but those in the North East include a significantly larger number with visual impairments.

3.2 Employees

National member organisations reported 1,133 full time employees of whom 90 (8%*) have a visual impairment.

This includes two individual organisations providing residential care and housing which together employ 630 full time workers. These were the only respondents reporting more than 100 full time employees

The four North East member organisations reported 27 full time employees of whom 7 (26%) had a visual impairment. They have an average of 7 full time volunteers each.

If you discount the two large national member organisations above, the average number of full time employees in local societies nationally is also 7.

* this figure is mistakenly shown as 68% in the Visionary National report

National member organisations reported 1,031 part time employees of whom 84 (8%) have a visual impairment.

The four North East member organisations reported 17 part time employees of whom 2 (12%) have a visual impairment.

If you discount the two very large organisations reported, the North East societies employ similar numbers of full and part time workers to the national average, although a higher proportion of those in the North East themselves have visual impairments.

3.3 Volunteers

National member organisations reported 9,439 volunteers (an average of 128 each) of whom 1,382 (15%) have a visual impairment.

The four North East member organisations reported 317 volunteers (an average of 80) of whom 74 (23%) have a visual impairment.

North East organisations therefore have fewer volunteers but a larger proportion of these have a visual impairment themselves.



SECTION 4 – QUALITY ASSURANCE AND FINANCE

4.1 Quality assurance awards

QA award/standard North East National# of orgs % of orgs # of orgs % of orgs

PQASSO 1 25% 10 7%IIP 1 25% 12 16%ISO 9001 1 50% 4 5%

Nationally 22 member organisations (30%) had one or more quality assurance awards. In addition a further two members were working towards PQASSO.

In the North East 3 member organisations (75%) had one or more quality assurance awards. In addition the fourth member was assessing which award to pursue.

Therefore members in the North East appear to be two and a half times more likely to have a Quality award than members nationally.

4.2 Sources of income

This table shows the number of organisations reporting each source of income, and then the average proportion of income from each source for each member reporting it.

Source of income North East National# of orgs Avge % of

orgs income# of orgs Avge % of

orgs incomeService level agreements and contracts

2 30% 15 42%

Grants 3 20% 45 27%Legacies 1 10% 36 15%Investments 1 8% 38 11%Other social enterprises/trading

3 7% 16 9%

Donations 3 6% 50 10%Events 3 3% 39 8%Charity shop 1 1% 8 15%Other 0 0% 29 15%Residential care homes 0 0% 6 42%

4.3 Change in income

Change experienced North East National VarianceIncrease in income 0% 23% -23%No change 33% 28% +5%Decrease in income 66% 48% +18%


* % ge is based on those members responding to this question Nationally 48% of all respondents reported a decrease in their income over the last

three years, almost identical to the figure of 50% of all respondents in the North East Members in the North East were more likely to have experience a decrease in income,

while none had seen an increase. Nationally members ha d seen decreases of from between 2% and 100%. One had lost

80% and another 100%. The only North East member quantifying their decrease had lost 10% of their income.

4.4 Confidence in sustainability of organisation

Confidence level North East National# of orgs %ge # of orgs %ge

Very confident 2 50% 13 20%Reasonably confident 2 50% 42 64%Worried 0 0% 11 17%

83% of respondents nationally and 100% in the North East felt either very or reasonably confident about the sustainability of their organisation.

4.5 Actual annual income

Nationally a total of 56 member organisations gave figures for their income to the nearest £1,000 for the last financial year for which they had published accounts.

Their total income amounted to £25,097,533, an average of £448,170 per organisation Individual organisation’s income ranged from £7,000 to £2,354,320 Around half had an income of £300,000 or less

In the North East 3 member organisations gave figures for their income to the nearest £1,000 for the last financial year for which they had published accounts.

Their total income amounted to £1,058,525, an average of £263,381 Individual organisation’s income ranged from £87,000 to £600,000 One (33%) had an income of £300,000 or less

4.6 Actual annual expenditures

Nationally a total of 56 member organisations gave figures for their expenditure to the nearest £1,000 for the last financial year for which they had published accounts.

Their total expenditure amounted to £27,586,062, an average of £492,608 per organisation (£44,438 more than their average income)

Individual organisation’s expenditure ranged from £7,000 to £2,600,000 Around half had expenditure of £300,000 or less

In the North East 3 member organisations gave figures for their expenditure to the nearest £1,000 for the last financial year for which they had published accounts.


Their total expenditure amounted to £1,022,455, an average of £255,614 per organisation (£7,767 less than their average income)

Individual organisation’s expenditure ranged from £85,000 to £590,000 One (33%) had expenditure of £300,000 or less

While the average income of members nationally was around 70% greater than that of North East members, organisations in the North East son average spent £7,800 less than their income, while members nationally spent on average £44,400 more than their income.

4.7 Financial reserves

Nationally 52 members held reserves totalling £41,792,921, an average of £746,302, which represents 153% of their average annual expenditure

In the North East 3 members held reserves totalling £578,378, an average of £144,595, which represents 57% of their average annual expenditure


SECTION 5 – EYE CLINIC LIAISON OFFICERS

5.1 Number in the area

Number of ECLOs North East National# of orgs %ge # of orgs %ge

0 1 25% 16 27%1 1 25% 23 39%2 2 50% 10 17%3 or more 0 0% 11 18%

Nationally among those responding it was most common to have one ECLO in the local area (39%), followed by none at all (27%)

In the North East it was most common to have 2 ECLOS (50%), followed by 25% each for 1 and 0

5.2 Salaried or volunteers

Nationally there were 62 salaried ECLOs across 43 member organisations among 60 respondents

There were 65 volunteer ECLOs across 20 member organisations’ areas nationally In the North East there were 5 salaried ECLOs across 4 member organisations among 4

respondents There were no volunteer ECLOs reported in the North East

There are therefore slightly fewer than the national average of ECLOs in the North East and no volunteer ECLOs at all.

5.3 Hospitals with an ECLO or equivalent

Number of hospitals with an ECLO

North East National# of orgs %ge # of orgs

responding%ge

0 1 25% 13 24%1 2 50% 22 39%2 1 25% 11 20%3 or more 0 0% 9 18%


5.4 ECLO hours in hospitals

Fewer members gave details of ECLO hours than responded to the previous question Without access to the questionnaires of the individual members responding at a national

level it is impossible to draw direct comparisons Nationally 39 members responded to this question on ECLO hours in 75 hospitals with

one or more ECLOs and the average ECLO presence was between 11 and 20 hours In the North East 2 members responded and the average ELCO presence was 38 hours

per week Nationally the survey results suggest there were 24 hospitals with roughly a full time

ECLO presence (either almost f/t, f/t, or more than one person) In the North East results suggest there were 3 hospitals each with a slightly more than

full time ECLO presence

5.5 Sources of funding for ECLOs

Type of funding includes North East National# of orgs %ge # of orgs

responding%ge

Own organisation’s voluntary or charitable funds

0 0% 20 47%

Action for Blind People or RNIB 3 75% 13 30%Other voluntary or charitable funds 0 0% 11 27%Local authority 3 25% 11 26%NHS – hospital 0 0% 15 35%NHS – PCT, CCG, or CHP 0 0% 6 14%Not funded – all volunteers 0 0% 1 2%

ECLO provision in the North East is two and a half times more likely to rely on funding from Action for Blind People or RNIB than nationally

No NHS funding of ECLO services was reported in the North East, in contrast to the national picture


SECTION 6 – INTEREST IN FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

This section asked members what services they were interested in developing in the future (either improving existing services or setting them up for the first time)

It is therefore possible that a low level of interest here reflects strong existing provision reported in Section 2 – Services provided, and vice versa

6.1 Emotional support services

Type of support North East National# of orgs %ge # of orgs

responding%ge

Specialist emotional support 2 50% 33 47%Support for carers 2 50% 31 42%Befriending 1 25% 30 41%Peer support groups 1 25% 28 38%Social, sport and leisure activities 0 0% 27 36%

Visionary members in the North East generally expressed a similar level of interest to those nationally in wanting to develop specialist emotional support and support for carers; less likely to want to develop befriending services or peer support groups; and none declared interest in developing social, sports and leisure activities, compared with 36% of members nationally

However importantly these figures may reflect the higher than average existing provision of these services recorded in section 2 (services provided)

6.2 Awareness, information and understanding


responding%ge

Hospital services 4 100% 42 57%Advice and information 2 50% 29 39%Visual awareness training 1 25% 30 41%

6.3 Finance and benefits

Nationally 35 member organisations (47%) were interested in developing a welfare benefits advice services, compared to 3 member organisations (75%) in the North East


6.4 Daily living equipment


responding%ge

Low Vision equipment 3 75% 33 45%Magnification and lighting advice 4 100% 26 35%Community support 4 100% 40 54%

Between 30 and 65% more North East members are interested developing these services than members nationally

6.5 Technology

Nationally 48 member organisations (65% of respondents) showed interest in developing technology services compared to 100% (4) of NE members

6.6 Mobility and orientation

29 member organisations nationally (39%) showed interest in developing rehabilitation services compared to 2 members (50%) in the North East

6.7 Campaigning

25 member organisations nationally (34%) showed interest in developing campaigning compared to 2 members (50%) in the North East

6.8 Communication

Nationally 39 organisations expresses interest in developing communication services. No North East members answered this question (at 2.8 above all four organisations

reported they already provide them)

6.9 Education


responding%ge

Education and advice 3 75% 22 30%Children’s and young people’s service 1 25% 29 39%


6.10 Employment and volunteering


responding%ge

Employment advice 2 50% 32 43% Volunteering 1 25% 36 49%

6.11 Member organisation’s interest in developing different types of service

Type of serviceNorth East orgs National orgs Variance

# % # % +/-Technology 4 100% 48 65% +35%Hospital service 4 100% 42 57% +43%Community support 4 100% 40 54% +46%Magnification and lighting advice 4 100% 26 35% +65%Finance and benefits 3 75% 35 47% +28%Low Vision equipment 3 75% 33 45% +30%Education advice 3 75% 22 30% +45%Specialist emotional support 2 50% 33 45% +5%Employment advice 2 50% 32 43% +7%Support for carers 2 50% 31 42% +8%Advice and information 2 50% 29 39% +11%Rehabilitation 2 50% 29 39% +11%Campaigning 2 50% 25 34% +16%Volunteering 1 25% 36 49% -24%Befriending 1 25% 30 41% -16%Visual awareness training 1 25% 30 41% -16%Children’s and young people’s service 1 25% 29 39% -14%Peer support groups 1 25% 28 38% -13%Providing information in accessible formats

0 0% 29 39% -39%

Advocacy 0 0% 28 38% -38%Social, sport and leisure activities 0 0% 27 36% -36%


6.12 Member organisations’ existing provision of different services and interest in developing them

Type of serviceNorth East orgs National orgs

Already providing Interested in developing Already providing Interested in developing# % # % # % # %

Advice and information 4 100% 2 50% 73 99% 29 39%Social, sport and leisure activities 4 100% 0 0% 71 96% 27 36%Providing information in accessible formats

4 100% 0 0% 69 93% 29 39%

Volunteering 4 100% 1 25% 66 89% 36 49%Visual awareness training 4 100% 1 25% 60 81% 30 41%Peer support groups 4 100% 1 25% 58 78% 28 38%Community support (void) 4 100% (void) 40 54%Befriending 4 100% 1 25% 55 74% 30 41%Technology 4 100% 4 100% 51 69% 48 65%Advocacy 4 100% 0 0% 33 45% 28 38%Low Vision/daily living equipment 3 75% 3 75% 66 89% 33 45%Specialist emotional support 3 75% 2 50% 31 42% 33 45%Employment advice 3 75% 2 50% 20 27% 32 43%LVA clinic 2 50% (void) 44 59% (void)Finance and benefits 2 50% 3 75% 34 46% 35 47%Rehabilitation 2 50% 2 50% 32 43& 29 39%Children and young people’s service 2 50% 1 25% 28 38% 29 39%Campaigning 2 50% 2 50% 27 37% 25 34%Support for carers 1 25% 2 50% 31 42% 31 42%Hospital-based service 0 0% 4 100% 46 62% 42 57%Education advice 0 0% 3 75% 18 24% 22 30%

6.13 Infrastructure

Aspect of infrastructure North East National# of orgs %ge # of orgs

responding%ge

Marketing and publicity 3 75% 42 57%Monitoring and evaluation systems 3 75% 37 50%Partnerships with other organisations 3 75% 36 49%Social media 3 75% 33 45%Recruitment, retraining and retention of volunteers

2 50% 28 38%

Recruitment, retraining and retention of trustees

2 50% 25 34%

Recruitment, retraining and retention of staff

2 50% 18 24%

Quality standards 1 25% 28 38%Effective consultation of service users 1 25% 26 35%Policies and procedures 1 25% 19 26%

6.14 Income generation – interest in ways of generating income

Area North East National# of orgs %ge # of orgs

responding%ge

Reviewing your financial position and producing a fundraising strategy/plan

3 75% 25 34%

Social enterprise 3 75% 22 30%Contracts for services 3 75% 22 30%Effective fundraising methods 2 50% 33 45%Specific fundraising ideas 2 50% 32 43%Financial management systems 1 25% 9 12%

6.15 Skills of trustees, staff and volunteers

Skills North East National# of orgs %ge # of orgs

responding%ge

Influencing 3 75% 19 26%Partnership/consortium working 2 50% 27 36%Succession planning 2 50% 23 31%Business planning 2 50% 22 30%Recruiting and training suitable trustees 2 50% 21 28%Technical ability 1 25% 22 30%Leadership 1 25% 16 22%Resolving governance difficulties 1 25% 12 16%Running meetings 1 25% 7 9%


Documents

Visionary NE Regional and National Comparison · Web viewThis document provides comparisons of the main areas of the national report – while it follows in general the structure of