Physical and Sensory Disability Database

Information

There are two national disability databases in Ireland, the Intellectual Disability Database and the Physical and Sensory Disability Database.

The objective of the Physical and Sensory Disability Database is to gather information on the specialised health and personal social service needs of people with a physical or sensory disability. The Database monitors current service provision and future service requirements over a five-year period. It will be used for planning service developments, prioritising service needs and assisting in resource allocation decisions at national, regional and local level.

Compilation of the Database started in 2001.

Rules

Information is collected from people with a physical and/or sensory disability who are receiving or who need a specialised health or personal social service currently or within the next five years. Eligible individuals are those who:

• Have a persistent physical or sensory disability arising from disease, disorder or trauma
• In the case of dual disability, have a predominant disability that is physical or sensory
• Are less than 66 years of age
• Are receiving or need a specialised health or personal social service that is related to their disability
• Have consented to being included on the Database.

In relation to users of speech and language therapy, having a cleft lip and palate, dyspraxia, specific language disorder and a severe diagnosis (e.g., severe disfluency) would satisfy the criteria for inclusion in the Database.

Where people are in contact with the following services - occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, assistive technology and public health nursing for the purpose of obtaining a technical aid and appliance, the following screening criteria can be applied.

• If it is envisaged that a person requires further follow up regarding his or her technical aid and appliance over the next five years, he or she should be registered on the Database.
• If this is a once-off contact relating only to his or her technical aid and appliance, then the person does not meet the criteria for inclusion onto the Database.

Where a person has both an intellectual and physical/sensory disability

People with profound, severe or moderate intellectual disabilities who also have physical or sensory disabilities are more appropriately registered on the National Intellectual Disability Database and consequently should not be included on the National Physical and Sensory Disability Database. If it is felt that a case is not as clear cut as this, it is recommended that a description of the case is recorded and made known to the Resource Officer.

Length of time information is held on the Database

Information is collected and recorded up until an individual's 66th birthday.

• If the person is 65, the information recorded will refer to planning for the next year.
• If the person is 64, the information recorded will refer to planning for the next 2 years.
• If the person is 63, the information recorded will refer to planning for the next 3 years.
• If the person is 62, the information recorded will refer to planning for the next 4 years.
• If the person is 61, the information recorded will refer to planning for the next 5 years.

Removal of a person's details from the Database

People with a physical or sensory disability will be removed from the Database if they:

• Have withdrawn their consent to being recorded on the Database
• Have died
• No longer need a specialised health or personal social service
• No longer wish to have a specialised health or personal social service
• Have emigrated
• In the case of a dual disability, where the predominant disability changes to an intellectual disability.

Data protection

The Data Protection Act 1988 and the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003 apply in the normal way to information on this Database. This means, in summary, that you or your parent/guardian if you are a child:

• Have a right to get a copy of the information held about you on the database - you can do this by contacting the Database Co-ordinator in your Local Health Office. 
• Have a right to have any inaccurate information corrected or removed.
• Have a right to complain to the Data Protection Commissioner if your rights are not respected.

Where to apply