Debate contribution: Dementia Diagnosis: Waiting Lists
Debate contribution by Mr Mike Nesbitt on .
- MLA
- Mr Mike Nesbitt
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 24 November 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Dementia Diagnosis: Waiting Lists
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5254304
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The current national target rate for the diagnosis of dementia is 66·7%. Northern Ireland currently has a rate of 62%, so we reckon that there are about 25,000 people living with dementia in Northern Ireland. In 2024, it was reported by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) that 13,900 people had a diagnosis. The regional ministerial target for memory services is that individuals should have access to the service within nine weeks of their referral. That does not include the waiting time for diagnosis. The regional dementia Encompass group is validating the data for that ministerial target under the systems management oversight group. The key objective is to focus on how to standardise and streamline data reporting across the region because that is the way to shape service improvements and assist with future commissioning. Within that context, a priority will be assigned to reporting on the waiting times that people are having to endure before they are seen.
160 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 (0.90).
- 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 | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.90 | 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 | 0.75 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.25 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:58 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
Disagree with this assessment?
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