To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) the average distance from the home of individuals placed in respite or interim care due to a lack of domiciliary care; and (ii) the number of such placements, (a) over 20 miles; and (b) over 40 miles, from home, in the last year, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust.

Trusts have indicated that to provide this information, a manual trawl of case notes would be required. This trawl would require a significant investment of resource and time, therefore this information is not readily available.

The Trusts do seek to ensure that when an interim care home placement is considered due to a lack of domiciliary care that the following factors are always considered:

Patient choice

Carer preference e.g. for ease of visiting

Actual bed availability and/or

Availability of appropriate category of care bed

Whilst I am unable to provide specific data in respect of individuals being placed at lengthy distances from their homes and communities, I trust the response has provided a measure of reassurance as to the factors taken under consideration by the Health and Social Care Trusts in approaching such decisions.