Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 21 Feb 1991

Vol. 405 No. 5

Written Answers. - Care of Dementia Patients.

Richard Bruton

Question:

100 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health the number of dementia patients on waiting lists for long stay care in each community care area of the Eastern Health Board; the average waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the prospects for clearing these waiting lists.

Richard Bruton

Question:

101 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health the number of long stay beds available for the care of dementia patients in each community care area of the Eastern Health Board (a) for those over 65 and (b) for those under 65; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 101 together.

The information requested by the Deputy is not available in the format as set out in these questions. The Eastern Health Board provides a comprehensive range of services for the elderly including those with dementia. The main focus of the service is community-based in line with Government policy for the care of the elderly. The board's community services are wide-ranging and were greatly enhanced last year by the making available of a special allocation from the overall £5 million for services for the elderly throughout the country and will benefit further from the recent £3 million allocated nationally for services for the elderly. The range of community services available include general practitioner and public health nurse care, home help services, meals-on-wheels and day care facilities. Assessment and rehabilitation services are available in the acute hospitals and in day hospitals as appropriate. These services are augmented by respite and intermittent care on a planned basis in a variety of settings. These services continue to be developed in line with the recommendations of the working party report on services for the elderly — The Years Ahead — A Policy for the Elderly.

When a patient, including a patient suffering from dementia, can no longer be managed in the community, in-patient services are provided by the Eastern Health Board following assessment. This service is provided in the health board's own institutions and in private nursing homes either by subvention or by contracted beds. There is a continuous demand for long-stay placement of patients in the board's area. Admissions are made on the basis of priority need which is determined at all times by medical/social assessment. The board's complement of long stay beds does not relate specifically to any particular community care area but is allocated in a flexible manner in accordance with the priority needs of the patients seeking admission. Those under the age of 65 years who require long term care are placed in units for the young chronic sick or in subvented beds in private nursing homes.

The break-down of long stay beds in the Eastern Health Board area is set out as follows. These figures include provision for those suffering from dementia.

Total number of long stay places for elderly patients	1,547
Total number of Respite Places	170
	approx.
Welfare Accommodation — Places	238
Total Number of patients currently in receipt of Nursing Home Subventions	1,700
Total number of places for young chronic sick (including 10 Respite Places)	69