Learning Disability
A Learning Disability usually has a significant impact on a PERSON's life.
Description
A Learning Disability (formerly known as a Mental Handicap and referred to as an Intellectual Disability) is a type of DISABILITY.
A Learning Disability usually has a significant impact on a PERSON's life. A PERSON with a Learning Disability finds it harder than others to learn, understand and communicate.
People with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities need full-time help with every aspect of their lives, including eating, drinking, washing, dressing and toileting etc.
Learning Disability includes the presence of a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence), with
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a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning)
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which started before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development.
Further information regarding people covered by definition can be found in the document 'Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century'.
Although, from a social care perspective, an Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of seventy or less is not sufficient reason for deciding if an individual should be provided with additional health and social care support, the following definition is applied within the Mental Health Services Data Set in the specific circumstance where data providers do not have an explicit data item to capture whether a PATIENT has a Learning Disability.
Someone is considered to have a Learning Disability when they function at a level of intellectual ability which is significantly lower than their chronological age. This is usually considered to be equivalent to having an IQ of seventy or less:
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Mild Learning Disability (roughly equivalent to an IQ of fifty to seventy) is comparable to the educational term 'Moderate Learning Difficulty'. It is usually caused by a combination of restricted learning and social opportunities plus a high rate of low to average intellectual ability and Learning Disability in close relatives.
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Moderate-to-profound Learning Disability (roughly equivalent to an IQ below fifty) is comparable to the educational term 'Severe Learning Difficulty'. It usually has a specific biological cause.
Note: A Learning Difficulty is a type of Special Education Need which affects areas of learning, such as reading, writing, spelling, mathematics etc.
Further information on Learning Disabilities, can be found on the internet, for example:
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NHS website at: Learning disabilities.
Also Known As
This NHS business definition is also known by these names:
| Context | Alias |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Intellectual Disability |
| Formerly | Mental Handicap |
| Plural | Learning Disabilities |
Where Used
| Type | Link | How used |
|---|---|---|
| Attribute | ADMISSION SOURCE | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | ADMISSION SOURCE (HOSPITAL PROVIDER SPELL) | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | ADMISSION SOURCE (MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL PROVIDER SPELL) | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | CARE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE OR TEAM TYPE ASSOCIATION (MENTAL HEALTH) | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | CLINICAL CARE INTENSITY | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | DESTINATION OF DISCHARGE | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | DESTINATION OF DISCHARGE (HOSPITAL PROVIDER SPELL) | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | DISABILITY CODE | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | DISABILITY CODE | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | DISCHARGE DESTINATION | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | DISCHARGE DESTINATION CODE (HOSPITAL PROVIDER SPELL) | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | DISCHARGE DESTINATION CODE (MOTHER POST DELIVERY HOSPITAL PROVIDER SPELL) | references in description Learning Disability |
| NHS Business Definition | Forensic Learning Disability Service | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | INTENDED CLINICAL CARE INTENSITY CODE | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | INTENDED CLINICAL CARE INTENSITY CODE (MENTAL HEALTH) | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | LANGUAGE CODE | references in description Learning Disability |
| NHS Business Definition | Learning Difficulty | references in description Learning Disability |
| NHS Business Definition | Learning Disability | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2007 MENTAL CATEGORY | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2007 MENTAL CATEGORY | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | MENTAL HEALTH ADMITTED PATIENT CLASSIFICATION | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | MENTAL HEALTH ADMITTED PATIENT CLASSIFICATION | references in description Learning Disability |
| Supporting Information | Main Specialty and Treatment Function Codes Table | references in description Learning Disability |
| NHS Business Definition | Mental Health Act Legal Status Classification Assignment Period | references in description Learning Disability |
| NHS Business Definition | Mental Health Service | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Set | Mental Health Services Data Set | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | OTHER REASON FOR REFERRAL (MENTAL HEALTH) | references in description Learning Disability |
| Supporting Information | Organisation Mergers | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | PLANNED DESTINATION OF DISCHARGE | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | PLANNED DESTINATION OF DISCHARGE (HOSPITAL PROVIDER SPELL) | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | PRIMARY REASON FOR REFERRAL (MENTAL HEALTH) | references in description Learning Disability |
| NHS Business Definition | Patient Proxy | references in description Learning Disability |
| NHS Business Definition | Positive Behaviour Support Plan | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | REASON FOR REFERRAL TO MENTAL HEALTH | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | SERVICE OR TEAM TYPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | SERVICE OR TEAM TYPE REFERRED TO (MENTAL HEALTH) | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | SOURCE OF ADMISSION | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | SOURCE OF ADMISSION CODE (HOSPITAL PROVIDER SPELL) | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEED TYPE | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEED TYPE | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | TRANSFORMING CARE CATEGORY | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | TRANSFORMING CARE CATEGORY | references in description Learning Disability |
| Supporting Information | Transforming Care | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | WARD INTENDED CLINICAL CARE INTENSITY | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | WARD INTENDED CLINICAL CARE INTENSITY | references in description Learning Disability |
| Data Element | WARD SETTING TYPE (MENTAL HEALTH) | references in description Learning Disability |
| Attribute | WARD SETTING TYPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH | references in description Learning Disability |
