Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Health (i) whether any assessment has been made of the adequacy of availability of respite care for unpaid carers of people living with dementia; and (ii) to detail any steps he is taking to improve access to those services.
Minister of Health: Requests for respite and short breaks are assessed and managed by Health and Social Care Trusts (HSCTs) based on individual assessed need. Trusts submit quarterly reports to the Department on the uptake of respite/short-break services. This information is used to monitor service provision, evaluate the adequacy of support, identify areas for improvement, and inform ongoing policy development. The Department will continue to review this data and work collaboratively with HSCTs and key stakeholders to ensure that support for unpaid carers of people with dementia remains responsive, effective, and aligned with emerging needs.
The Department of Health is leading on the reform of adult social care under the auspices of the Social Care Collaborative Project Board. This includes work to review the regional care homes contract and specification which will include provision for respite/short break placements within the care home setting.
ENDS
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