Dr. Joanne McCarthy:

We have been asking through NPHET for data to be gathered on how many people who present at accident and emergency departments have underlying health conditions or disabilities. It is very important and there is a real misconception out there. Most people with disabilities do not live in residential services. They live either independently, with family members or, like the rest of us in our 20s, with their friends. Approximately 8,500 people are in residential services and we have 640,000 people with disabilities. Most of the people with disabilities will never be captured under the data paths set up through NPHET. It is very important that we find ways through which we are currently capturing data whereby we can disaggregate it and capture the impact it is having on those with disabilities.