Implementation of memory assessment services ongoing

Around 13–16 new patients are being seen on average per month at three specialist HSE Memory Assessment and Support Service (MASS) teams nationally, the Medical Independent (MI) has learned.

Data provided to MI shows 353 new patients were seen across three sites in the eight months from January to August this year.

The sites are in Cavan/Monaghan (102 new patients); Sligo/Leitrim (133 new patients); and Mayo (118 new patients).

According to the HSE, MASS teams provide multidisciplinary assessment, diagnosis, care planning, and post-diagnostic support for people with suspected dementia.

Over the same timeframe, some 1,961 return patients were seen at the three MASS team sites. This brings the total number of patients evaluated at the sites to 2,314 over eight months.

A further seven MASS teams are due to commence providing services before the end of the year, a HSE spokesperson told MI. This includes teams in Donegal, Kerry, Mullingar, Wexford, Waterford, Limerick, and Galway.

The 10 locations were prioritised for new services under HSE plans as they had little or no specialist memory services in place.

According to the HSE spokesperson, the seven new services are at different stages of development.

“The services in Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Mullingar, Waterford, and Wexford are at advanced stages of development, supported by the recruitment and onboarding of consultant posts. The proposed Limerick service is at an earlier stage, with consultant recruitment underway,” the spokesperson commented.

“The HSE continues to work with the relevant local services to progress recruitment and operational readiness. There is a dependency on the recruitment of the wider multidisciplinary team and local service readiness to ensure teams become fully operational.”

MASS services provide specialist assessment, diagnosis and post-diagnostic support, generally for more typical dementia presentations.

MASS services are different to Regional Specialist Memory Clinics (RSMCs). These clinics provide diagnostic assessment for younger, atypical, or unclear presentations that require a more detailed assessment, “or where the person wishes to participate in a more detailed and specific aetiological evaluation.” This includes multidisciplinary assessment, diagnosis, care planning, and post-diagnostic support, the spokesperson explained.

There are currently four RSMCs, which are located at: St James’s Hospital, Dublin; Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin; Mercy University Hospital, Cork; and University Hospital Galway. The development of a fifth RSMC in North Dublin is included in the HSE National Service Plan 2026.