HL Deb 16 June 2004 vol 662 cc77-8WA
Lord Ashley of Stoke

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which local authorities have not replied to the Government's request for information following the publication of Social Care for Dealblind Children and Adults LAC (2001) 8; and [HL3036]

How many, and what proportion of, local authorities have:

  1. (a) identified and made contact with deafblind people in their care;
  2. (b) assessed the needs of deafblind people;
  3. (c) provided appropriate services to deafblind people;
  4. (d) provided one-to-one support for deafblind people; and
  5. (e) one member of senior management with responsibility for deafblind services. [HL3037]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner)

All local authorities in England have replied to questions asked in their autumn delivery and improvement statement for 2003. 148 local authorities (98.7 per cent of authorities in England) have identified a senior manager responsible for deafblindness and 64 (42.7 per cent) provide services specifically appropriate for people with dual sensory loss.

The deafblind voluntary organisation, Sense, also conducts its own annual survey of authorities in England and Wales. In 2003, Sense had responses from 62 authorities in England and eight in Wales. According to Sense, those 70 authorities in England and Wales had identified 8,172 deafblind people. Only one council had identified no deafblind people. Sense also states that 19 per cent of councils have intervenor services and that 41 per cent provide guide communicator services.

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