Member's statement: Dementia Action Week
Member's statement by Ms Liz Kimmins on .
- MLA
- Ms Liz Kimmins
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 13 May 2024
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Dementia Action Week
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4488555
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Today marks the start of Dementia Action Week 2024. As chair of the newly formed all-party group on dementia, I know that dementia is one of the biggest health and social care challenges of our time. Yet, in decision-making, it still is not given the priority that it requires.
This Dementia Action Week, the Alzheimer's Society published new research today revealing that the cost of dementia care in the North has now reached a staggering figure of almost £1 billion a year. That figure is set to rise to more than £2 billion by 2040, unless urgent action is taken. More than 24,000 people live with the condition in the North, and I know that many Members, including me, have experienced dementia in their families and local communities. For many, dementia is viewed as simply a natural part of ageing, rather than being recognised as a devastating terminal illness. Time is not on our side. The North is predicted to have the largest increase of people living with dementia by 2040, with an increase of over 51% to approximately 43,000 people. Over nine in 10 people living with dementia said that getting a diagnosis had benefited them by allowing them to plan for the future. It had allowed them and their families to receive practical advice, feel a sense of relief in knowing what the diagnosis is and get medication to help manage the symptoms of dementia. Over one third of people in the North live with dementia every day without a diagnosis that could give them access to the right treatment and support. Thousands wait years for a diagnosis, and we would not tolerate such a long wait for cancer diagnoses. Research released by the Alzheimer's Society today shows that spending on diagnosis makes up less than 1·4% of healthcare expenditure across these islands. We need to make sure that all people can have access to an early and accurate diagnosis of dementia no matter where they live. If we do not address diagnosis rates, we have no hope of addressing the major dementia challenges that lie ahead. Any delays to dementia diagnosis or improvements to care add considerable costs to the already overburdened healthcare system and our local communities. The research revealed today shows that, in line with the increasing numbers of people living with dementia, the need for unpaid care, often provided by loved ones or friends, will grow significantly, with 40% more people expected to require unpaid care by 2040. That is a major concern when one third of unpaid carers already spend more than 100 hours caring each week and 16% have had to give up work to care. We are at a turning point for dementia treatment and research, and, therefore, we must act urgently to capitalise on that. For the first time, there is hope of detecting and treating dementia by diagnosing people with a simple blood test. Dementia's devastating impact is colossal on the lives on those it affects, the healthcare system and the economy. Now is the time to prioritise dementia, and that starts with getting more people diagnosed.
518 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.93).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.93 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.93 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.05 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:23 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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