To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline the assessment process for patients with Dementia who require to be located in a care home with Elderely Mentally Interferred provision, to ensure that they are placed in the most appropriate environment to cater for their individual needs.

All people with dementia are given a person centred assessment. Decisions relating to the most appropriate placement for an individual are based on professionally assessed need. A medical recommendation is sought from a Consultant Psychogeriatrician to decide whether the older person would need to be placed in an EMI Residential or EMI Nursing Home in order to meet their assessed needs.

Many people with dementia may be suitably placed in general nursing and residential settings and that the guiding principle is one of least restriction. Over time, people’s care needs may alter and a transfer to a different setting may have to be considered. This again will be on the basis of professionally assessed need and any move will be fully discussed at a formal Care Management review with the individual and family.