Northern Ireland healthcare staff to assess dementia training needs

A dementia learning and development framework has been launched in Northern Ireland to help staff to assess their training needs.

It is also designed to allow educational providers to design and deliver more effective dementia training programmes for nurses and other healthcare staff.

An estimated 19,000 people in Northern Ireland are living with dementia and this is predicted to increase to more than 60,000 in the next thirty years.

Framework hopes

Launching the framework on 14 September, health minister Michelle O’Neill said: ‘I hope the framework will provide an assurance to the public that staff caring for those living with dementia have the right knowledge and skills to do their job well, to challenge the stigma that exists around dementia, and to improve communication skills with people with dementia.’

Further information

Northern Ireland dementia learning and development framework