Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Deputy Butler has been given permission to take Question No. 8, which was tabled by Deputy Niall Collins.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

8. To ask the Minister for Health if he is considering the appointment of a dementia care adviser in each CHO area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28212/18]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Each day, 11 people are diagnosed with dementia. There are currently 55,000 people living with dementia. There are eight dementia care advisers in the country, providing services in 11 counties only. Is the Minister considering the appointment of a dementia care adviser in each CHO area?

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Butler for the question. Dementia adviser services are provided at eight demonstrator sites across Ireland, supporting approximately 1,700 people with dementia and their carers and families in 14 counties. Dementia advisers offer a highly responsive and individualised information and signposting service.

The national dementia strategy was launched in December 2014 to meet the challenges faced by the 55,000 people living with dementia in Ireland and to provide services to meet growing demand in future years. The strategy contains 35 priority and additional actions to be undertaken by the HSE. As the Deputy will be aware, one of these actions is for the HSE to consider the provision of dementia advisers, based on the experience of demonstrator sites.

In order to fully capture the experience of demonstrator sites and inform the future development of this service, the HSE’s national dementia office has commissioned an external evaluation of the service. The evaluation, by University College Cork, UCC, began in November 2017 and is expected to be finalised by September 2018. Initial results indicate that a majority of people with dementia are satisfied with the information, advice, support and signposting provided by dementia advisers. The service has brought normality to their lives, provided understanding about dementia and given people with dementia the confidence to ask questions. The Department is awaiting the final evaluation report. The appointment of additional dementia advisers will be considered when the results of this evaluation are available.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. He referred to the external evaluation that is under way. As he knows, I am chair of the all-party Oireachtas group set up to raise awareness of dementia. There has recently been a mid-term review of the national dementia strategy. Those involved came to a meeting of our group and talked us through the current position. They told us people with dementia and their families are still dealing with inadequate services and supports, and stated that additional funding is required. Access to community dementia-specific services across Ireland is not equal and, as the Minister of State will know, the mapping document prepared recently showed there are huge gaps across the different counties. The level of service varies depending on where one lives and we need more equity of service. I thank the Minister of State who, on three different occasions, has engaged with the all-party Oireachtas group, which is much appreciated.

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Deputy's comments. I am happy to continue that engagement, given the group is very constructive in its approach to these issues.

The question asks about the appointment of one dementia care adviser for each of the CHO areas, of which there are nine in the country. As the Deputy will know, given she knows so much about this issue, there are already eight dementia care advisers so that would only mean the appointment of one more. However, as the service is only serving 14 counties, that highlights the issue we needed to evaluate. If I was to answer by saying that I would provide one in every CHO area, I would be confirming the appointment of one more adviser, whereas I know that is not what the Deputy is seeking.

I am awaiting the results of the UCC research, which will be on my desk in September. Hopefully, that will be in time to inform the budget. We are acutely aware of this issue. At every meeting we have around budget issues for the coming year and our priorities, dementia is top of the list because we know it is an enormous challenge for society that is coming down the road. I intend to keep that focus.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The question is probably incorrectly worded. Our plan is to grow the dementia adviser network from the current eight to 33 throughout the country. A dementia adviser costs €70,000. We had this conversation with the Minister of State before the budget last year. I know money does not grow on trees and the Department has a specific budget that it has to work with. However, as I said to the Minister on the previous occasion, the ask is €2.31 million in order to have 33 dementia advisers in place. I ask the Minister of State to consider an incremental pathway. If we had eight a year for the next four years, we would reach the target and that would make a major difference.

As I have told the Minister of State previously, I understand that there are budgetary constraints, but we must start somewhere. We have eight advisers in place, but we need 33. If another eight could be provided this year and a further eight the following year, that would be helpful.

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

That is appreciated and understood. The other challenge that I must consider in the overall picture is that, while having advisers in place is a wonderful support, assurance, point of contact and human interaction for families, the services to which people will be directed are insufficient. In terms of funding, I must try to get the balance right between developing services in the community and having people to signpost individuals to those services. I am trying to study that balance and to get not just the geography right, but also the structures in terms of which parts of the HSE they will sit in and to whom they will be accountable. I need to find a few more answers, but I will have them by September. I look forward to working with the all-party Oireachtas committee on developing this service and signposting.