Beth Clayton
Exworth, Campaigns and Engagement Manager, Dementia UK
The Health Secretary has ambitious plans to fix the NHS. Transforming dementia care must be on his agenda.
All eyes are on Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, as he prepares to unveil a plan to reshape the NHS over the next decade. With nearly 1 million people living with dementia in the UK,1 and 77% of them experiencing other long-term conditions,2 it’s vital they are at the heart of the plan if it’s to succeed.
Dementia care is falling short
When the Government launched its ‘biggest ever national conversation on the future of the NHS’ last autumn, we surveyed over 4,700 people with dementia, their families and specialist dementia nurses about their experiences of NHS dementia care in England.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents3 revealed a sad truth: people affected by dementia feel they don’t receive the care they need to manage the complex challenges of the condition. As a result, they feel ‘abandoned,’ ‘alone’ and ‘frightened.’ With one in two people set to be affected by dementia in their lifetime,1 and no cure in sight, many will have to cope with its devastating effects alone unless immediate action is taken.
Improving dementia care will not only
enhance lives but also lead to cost savings
and benefits across the health system.
Dementia care can be fixed
When people get the right support at the right time, it can be life-changing. However, with dementia removed from this year’s NHS planning, the upcoming NHS 10-year plan is a crucial opportunity to integrate the structures and resources needed for an effective dementia care pathway. Essential steps the Government must take include:
- Increasing the number of specialist dementia nurses, especially in hospitals, to improve outcomes and reduce hospital stays
- Improving support for unpaid carers
- Removing barriers to care, including introducing an age-appropriate pathway for people with young onset dementia, where symptoms occur before the age of 65
Now is the time for action on dementia care
Improving dementia care will not only enhance lives but also lead to cost savings and benefits across the health system. As Wes Streeting prepares to publish the NHS 10-year plan, we urge him to put dementia care on his agenda.
[1] Alzheimer’s Research UK. 2024. Prevalence and incidence of dementia.
[2] Gov.uk. 2019. Dementia: comorbidities in patients – data briefing.
[3] Dementia UK carried out a survey of 4,792 people affected by dementia between 14th and 25th November 2024.
