10-year plan to improve treatment of dementia
SAJID Javid yesterday announced a bold strategy to tackle dementia and said it was “more ambitious than anything we’ve done before”.
The 10-year plan, to be unveiled later this year, will harness new medicines and technology while improving the lives of patients.
The Health Secretary said big changes are needed to drive progress and declared his ambitions for tackling dementia were on par with cancer plans.
He also promised to “work across government” to boost funding for research, despite confirming that spending has dropped to £375million over the next five years for neurodegenerative diseases.
Mr Javid said of the upcoming plan: “I want it to be more ambitious than anything we’ve done before. I’d like us to be as bold as we have been with our 10-year plan for cancer.
“It will be driven by the same four themes behind our reforms in health and care – prevention, personalisation, performance and people.”
Speaking at the Alzheimer’s Society annual conference, Mr Javid admitted that the pandemic had “stemmed the tide of progress” against dementia.
It is thought around 30,000 people missed out on a diagnosis because of Covid.
In 2019, the Tory manifesto promised a “dementia moonshot” that would double research funding to £160million per year for 10 years.
Instead, it has fallen from £88million in 2018-19 to £76million in 2019-20. The Daily Express’s Time To Deliver Dementia Cash campaign is backed by Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK. Mark MacDonald, at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “The Secretary of State spoke of the seismic shift needed in dementia diagnosis and care.
“However, his words will mean nothing if not backed by equally ambitious funding and delivery
mechanisms which put people with dementia at their heart.”
Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of research, added: “We’re pleased to see the Government reaffirm the importance of research funding but we are still waiting two years on for the promised dementia moonshot.”
Susan Mitchell, from Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We need to see today’s commitments followed up by clear plans with accountability and suitable funding to enable delivery.”