Alzheimer's and dementia have a devastating impact on the lives of so many families. With 900,000 people currently living with dementia in the UK, research is crucial to understanding the condition and improving treatment options for those affected.
The Government must build on the £50 million of new research funding announced in January 2024 to help accelerate the development of new treatments and allow people with dementia to take part in early phase clinical trials.
I am disappointed that the target for local health systems in England to improve dementia diagnosis times was removed from the NHS Operational Planning Guidance for 2025/26, and call on the Government and NHS to reconsider this decision.
This lack of focus on dementia risks undermining the progress made in recent years. More work is needed to increase research, identify new treatments, help patients to access them in the NHS and improve diagnosis rates. The Government must give sufficient priority to improving outcomes for dementia in all of these areas in the upcoming 10-Year Plan for the NHS.
