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Disability Services - new HRB reports examine current service use and future demand

The Health Research Board (HRB) has published the National Intellectual Disability Database (NIDD) and The National Physical and Sensory Disability Database (NPSDD) reports. Together, they review the latest information on services that people with a disability received during 2016, along with estimates of the type of services they will need up to 2021.

According to Dr Mairéad O Driscoll, Interim Chief Executive of the HRB,

‘Together, these reports present a fuller picture of the Irish population living with a disability. If we understand what people need, we can plan services better. For example; we can see from the data that people with intellectual disabilities require more residential, day and respite services. In contrast, those with physical and sensory disabilities need more physiotherapy, occupational therapy and technical aids so that they can live more independently at home’.

The reports will be launched today by Minister of State with special responsibility for Disabilities, Finian Mc Grath, T.D., at a prize-giving ceremony in St. Michael’s House, Dublin. This is to celebrate the achievements of the two service users who won a competition to design the report covers; John Murphy from St. Michael’s House and Olga Forde from Brothers of Charity, Galway.

More information is available from the HRB press release.

Copies of the main findings for both databases are available to download from the publications section of the HRB website, along with detailed tabular data in Excel format.

Infographics containing key statistics from the reports are also available to download from the Media section of HRB website.