Sensory team

The Sensory Team is part of the South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership. We provide support to people who are Deaf and people who are affected by hearing and / or sight loss throughout South Ayrshire.

We work closely with NHS Ayrshire and Arran ophthalmology and audiology colleagues, social work community care teams, third sector groups such as the Sensory Impaired Support Group (SISG), RNID, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), British Deaf Association as well as local community support groups.

We can help with the following:

Providing emotional support
Providing information and advice on all aspects of hearing and / or sight loss
Maintaining the register of sight impaired people and offering registration visits
Signposting to other services such as welfare benefits, community groups, support groups
Providing training on communication and independent living skills
Providing mobility training to develop and increase safe and independent movement both indoors and outdoors such as using public transport
Demonstrating the use of equipment to support independence
Linking people in to their community
Assessing care and support needs using Self Directed Support.

We can visit you at home or at one of our drop-in clinics held in various locations throughout South Ayrshire. Contact the team for further information on where and when our drop-in clinics are held.

Contact details

If you or someone you know would benefit from our services, contact us for more information:

Phone: 01292 616637
Text: 07977 540721
Email: [email protected]

British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact us via Contact Scotland BSL - Scotland's online BSL interpreting video relay service (VRS). If you have hearing or speech difficulties use Relay UK when contacting us.

Our office hours are Monday to Thursday 8.45am to 4.45pm and Friday 8.45am to 4.00pm.

How to send a text to get help in an emergency - emergencySMS

Did you now if you cannot make voice calls, you can now contact the 999 emergency services by SMS text from your mobile phone.

You will only be able to use this service if you have registered with emergencySMS first. Please register now: don't wait for an emergency.

To register, text 'register' to 999. You will get a reply - then follow the instructions you are sent.

Click here to read the easy read version - How to send a text to get help in an emergency

Drop in clinics

We offer friendly, accessible drop‑in clinics where you can get advice, support and guidance around sensory needs. If you'd like to find out when and where the next clinic is taking place, just get in touch - we're here to help.

Visual Loss Support Group

South Ayrshire Sensory Team and SISG hold a support group in Ayr for people with visual loss. This is an informal goreup where we hope to offer practive and emotional support. There is no cost to attend this group.

Macular Group

Join Macular Scotland to attend one of their local support groups, which will provide information and support to those with macular disease, their family and friends. For more information, click here.

Walking Groups

Paths for All is a national project to help people of all ages and abilities to be able to enjoy short walks. If you would be interested in joining a health walk or would like to start a walk in your area, visit their website or contact the Sensory Team who can help.

British Sign Language Local Plan

View the BSL Local Plan here

Sensory Impaired Support Group (SISG)

Sensory Impaired Support Group (SISG) provide practical and emotional support to older people with sight or hearing loss including a number of short video clips to help older people who are struggling with hearing and/or sight loss. They include:

How to clean your hearing aid
How to change your hearing aid battery
How to re-tube your hearing aid
Sight loss hints and tips
Good communication tips - hearing loss
Stress management tips

Please visit the SISG website to get more information about Hearing Battery Pick Up Points, Community Hearing Support Hubs for help to maintain your hearing aid and the support groups available for people with hearing loss: www.sisg.co.uk

Alternatively contact the team by email at [email protected] or telephone 01292 266791

South Ayrshire Council HSCP