Dementia strategy to miss December target

A national dementia and alzheimer’s service improvement plan which was meant to be implemented by the end of this year will fail to meet its target.

The Oireachtas health committee has heard that the strategy will still only be in draft format by December, despite the Programme for Government insisting that it would be in place by the end of 2013.

The improvement plan is being drawn up in an attempt to enhance existing community-based services, ensure early diagnosis, and improve resources ring-fenced for addressing dementia and alzheimer’s.