Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her succinct question. The short answer is "Yes" but the slightly longer answer is that we must wait for the service plan for 2019 to be finalised. There is ongoing engagement between my Department and the HSE in that regard and, as would normally be the case, I expect to be in a position to approve the service plan this month and to publish it before Christmas.

I wish to acknowledge Deputy Butler's work and leadership in the cross-party group on dementia in this House. She will be very familiar with the national dementia strategy which aims to improve dementia care so that people with dementia can live well for as long as possible. Plans are progressing to further implement the strategy through the national dementia office, NDO. I had the pleasure of attending a really good meeting with that office about a month ago and heard about its work on the areas of diagnosis, post-diagnostic supports and the prescribing of anti-psychotic medications. The Deputy will also be aware that the HSE provides intensive home care packages to people with dementia to enable them to continue living with assistance at home but I accept that we will need to see the provision of more of these packages. The Department has also secured funding through the Dormant Accounts Fund for additional projects to improve care for people with dementia. One such project is the development of assistive technology memory resource rooms. I had the pleasure of visiting one such room in St. Colmcille's Hospital in Loughlinstown and another in Clonmel.

A recently completed mapping exercise provides a useful snapshot and baseline study into what, where and when dementia-specific community based services and supports are being offered. The study has also been used to inform a service finder hosted on the NDO’s website. This allows people to search for dementia-specific community services in their area. I acknowledge that there are gaps in access to services and a large variance in the services that are provided across the country. The NDO has met senior HSE officials in each community healthcare organisation, CHO, area to highlight the gaps that exist and to develop local action plans to improve service provision.

My Department is continuing to work with the HSE to prepare the 2019 national service plan. Pending a final agreement, I am unable to give specifics but it is my hope that we can improve services in this area in 2019.

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