Southland doctor sedating dementia patients due to lack of options

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A southland doctor said he's having to sedate dementia patients because there's a lack of care options in rural areas. Doctor Daniel Allan is a psychiatrist for elderly people and this week he told a health select committee of the challenges getting appropriate care for people with dementia in more isolated parts of southland. He said he's deliberately having to use anti-psychotic medication for people with dementia and its a regular thing among other colleagues too, even though it is a last resort option because of a lack of places for them to go. Doctor Daniel Allan spoke to Lisa Owen.