Dr. Colm Henry:

We have been gathering some metrics to demonstrate exactly what the Deputy has asked about. Some of the early results are coming through. When we consider the service being provided to older people in 21 of the 30 hubs in respect of dementia, falls and deterioration in circumstances where they would otherwise have been referred directly to hospital, for example, we know that 10% of patients are being seen on the same or the next day. One could certainly conclude that if the care had not been provided in so timely a manner, these patients may have ended up in emergency departments.

We also look at the frailty index, which is a measure of exactly what it says. It is about the proportion of people going there who are frail and who would otherwise be in hospital. It not just a new service for people who would not have needed a hospital service or who would otherwise might have ended up in hospital. The figure in this regard is 40%. It is providing a service that was not there before. It is also providing services to a cohort of patients, in the context of timeliness and need, that was not there before outside a hospital setting. The work is in progress. What we will be doing in order to answer that question for ourselves is-----