Sajid Javid announces 10-year plan to tackle dementia

HEALTH and social care secretary Sajid Javid has announced a 10-year plan to boost research into neurodegenerative diseases.

Speaking at Alzheimer’s Society Conference 2022 on Tuesday (17), he said the plan will focus on how new medicines and emerging science and technology can be harnessed to improve outcomes for dementia patients across the country.

Some £375 million is already committed to research on neurodegenerative diseases over the next five years and the health secretary said the efforts would be boosted further by working across government.

The government seeks to reduce up to 40 per cent of dementia considered to be potentially preventable and explore how new technology, science and medicine can help bring down the numbers and severity of the condition.

The plan will also focus on supporting people with their specific health and care needs while living with dementia.

The NHS funding to reduce the coronavirus backlog is also expected to help ensure a more timely dementia diagnosis.

According to predictions, one million people will be living with dementia by 2025 and 1.6 million by 2040.

Work was started by the UK government to tackle the global dementia challenge at the first G8 dementia summit in 2013. The Challenge on Dementia 2020 saw one million care workers and as many NHS workers receiving dementia awareness training.