Alzheimer Scotland welcomes launch of National Dementia Strategy for England

Alzheimer Scotland welcomes the unveiling of the National Dementia Strategy for England. Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson has announced that £150 million will be made available to improve the lives of people living with dementia. This will include investing in a network of memory clinics, improving support for people affected by the condition and launching major public awareness campaigns. There is to be a particular focus on the early diagnosis of dementia.

Good news

Henry Simmons, Chief Executive of Alzheimer Scotland, said, “This is clearly good news, particularly the commitment of £150 million. This is in line with the figure of £15 million that Alzheimer Scotland quoted as necessary in our Dementia Manifesto two years ago, published for the Scottish Parliament election of 2007.”

“In response to this manifesto, the subsequently-elected Scottish Government made dementia a national priority. They have taken a strong lead on this issue and we have been happy to work with them on it. Some exciting changes have been made, including the creation of the Scottish Dementia Research Network and the development of some innovative pilot projects around post-diagnostic support.”

Right to an early diagnosis

“However, we still receive many, many distressing calls to our Dementia Helpline where people are simply not receiving the practical services and emotional support that they need on a day-to-day basis. We need better support for people with dementia: people have a right to an early diagnosis, which will empower them to make crucial decisions about future financial, legal, social and care needs. The Scottish Government has set a target of a 33% increase in diagnoses of dementia by March 2011 across all NHS boards. We must ensure that this translates to people receiving a prompt and accurate diagnosis.”

“There must also be a significant increase in the level of post-diagnostic support available in Scotland. Fear, stigma and a lack of practical support mean that many people with dementia (and often their carers) become isolated from society. We need to do more to develop dementia-friendly communities and ensure that people are supported to remain active and involved for as long as possible. We need to protect the natural supports and connections that exist in people’s networks and not allow a diagnosis to lead to withdrawal and isolation.”

Better palliative care

“We also require better palliative care training and provision for those in the later stages of the illness and better information for relatives who may be forced to make difficult decisions regarding the care of their loved ones and the treatment they should receive.“

“All of this requires considerable funding and resources. In their first two years of working to tackle dementia in Scotland, the Scottish Government has created a strong vision for us to aspire to. Now, and over the next two years, we must turn that vision into clearly-defined reality for people with dementia, their carers and Scotland’s health, social and care provision services.”