HSE Dublin and South East media release
28 November, 2025
A Dietitian working as part of the HSE’s Memory Assessment and Support Service team and its Integrated Care for Older Persons programme in Co. Wexford has been honoured in the annual Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute Awards, which were held recently at that body’s AGM in Dublin.
Aideen McGuinness, a Senior Dietitian in the HSE Dublin and South East’s Waterford/Wexford Integrated Healthcare Area, was the winner in the “Patient and Professional Advocacy” category.
The Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI) is the professional organisation representing almost 800 Dietitians and student Dietitians nationwide. As an extension of its work in helping to set standards, promote awareness and patient care, INDI’s awards acknowledge and celebrate:
- “outstanding commitment to patient centred care and professional integrity” and
- “reflects the very best as to how Dietitians go about their daily work as both individual clinicians and in teams, with the continued focus of making a difference to their clients.”
The HSE’s Wexford Memory Assessment and Support Service (WEXMASS) provides assessment, diagnosis and post-diagnostic support for people with suspected dementia or memory loss. Its multi-disciplinary team includes medical staff, nurses and therapists. Patients are referred to WEXMASS by their GP or hospital Geriatrician.
The HSE’s Wexford Integrated Care for Older Persons (WEXICOP) provides assessment and support to older people who are becoming more frail, falling or experiencing a change in their ability to carry out activities of daily living. Patients are typically referred to WEXICOP by their GP or other healthcare professionals.
Aideen McGuinness’s work as a registered Dietitian this year included working with a local young, onset dementia group in Co. Wexford. They collaboratively developed resources to assist them in maintaining food-related independence and Aideen ran cookery workshops with the group.
Aideen also worked with the INDI and the Alzheimers Society of Ireland (ASI) to publish a new resource called “Eating and Drinking - a guide to support a person with Dementia”.
Other 2025 achievements on Aideen’s part have included speaking at the Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism conference and participation in a BBC podcast titled “Eating Well with Dementia”. Aideen was also part of an initiative by Dietitians in the South East funded by the HSE’s Spark Innovation Programme to produce short education videos on key nutrition topics for ageing well.
Last updated on: 01 / 12 / 2025
