Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 November 2019
345. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the status of the implementation of the National Dementia Strategy 2014 being led by the national dementia office in the HSE; the progress made to date in developing evidence-based care pathways for persons with dementia; the specific elements of the strategy that have been rolled out to date in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47182/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Dementia Office (NDO) was established early in 2015 to lead the implementation of the National Dementia Strategy across the HSE. Numerous projects are under way across the Strategy's six priority action areas to improve the organisation and delivery of dementia care spanning the entire dementia journey, from prevention right through to end of life care for people with dementia. Progress made in implementing the National Dementia Strategy is set out in the Mid-Term Review of the Strategy, published in mid-2018.
The development of national and local dementia care pathways is being progressed through a number of on-going projects including a diagnostic and post-diagnostic framework project; an acute hospital integrated care pathway project; and a GP-specific dementia diagnostic pathway.
The Dementia Diagnostic Project will establish a standardised approach to the assessment and diagnosis of dementia across primary, secondary and tertiary services. A three-tiered approach to diagnostic services is proposed and work is commencing on the development of a diagnostic framework and implementation plan. The Project will link with the post-diagnostic framework in development. The funding awarded in Budget 2020 for the recruitment of an additional ten Dementia Advisers will play a key role within the dementia post-diagnostic pathway.
Work has begun to develop a national dementia care pathway for acute hospitals, drawing heavily on work undertaken at three demonstrator sites in Cork and Dublin. A national audit of acute hospital dementia care is under way and will provide current data on acute hospital dementia care policy and practice, to inform local pathway development and implementation.
In relation to the specific elements of the Strategy that have been rolled out to date in County Louth, as this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
