Physical sensory and learning disability - Halton and St Helens PCT

<strong>Physical</strong>, <strong>sensory</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>learning</strong> <strong>disability</strong>Level of need in the population<strong>Physical</strong> <strong>and</strong> Sensory <strong>disability</strong>The term ‘<strong>Physical</strong> Impairment’ refers to people who have one or more physicalimpairments. These impairments may be congenital or acquired at any age, betemporary, long-term, or fluctuating. People with physical impairments may often haveunique & multi-dimensional requirements. They therefore require tailored services toaddress them all in a person-centred holistic fashionThe term ‘Sensory Impairment’ encompasses visual impairment (including blind <strong>and</strong>partially sighted), hearing impairment (including those who are profoundly deaf,deafened <strong>and</strong> hard of hearing) <strong>and</strong> dual <strong>sensory</strong> impairment (deafblindness). Sensoryimpairments may, like physical impairments, be congenital or acquired at any age.They are more prevalent with age as are additional <strong>sensory</strong> or other impairments. Most<strong>sensory</strong> impairments develop gradually <strong>and</strong> are often secondary to other disabilities.Map 1: <strong>Halton</strong> Client Density: <strong>Physical</strong> <strong>and</strong> Sensory <strong>disability</strong>Source: Carefirst Database (31/03/09 – 01/04/10)The above map (map 1) highlights the location of clients with physical <strong>and</strong> <strong>sensory</strong><strong>disability</strong>, with the different quantities represented by the colours – The wards markedin red have the highest number of clients, whereas the darker green wards have lowernumbers.The table 1 shows that an estimated 5,968 people between the ages of 18 <strong>and</strong> 64have a physical <strong>disability</strong>. The majority of these (67%) are aged between 45 <strong>and</strong> 643