Dementia: Health Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Department's policies on the adequacy of the care available to people living with dementia; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a (a) more coordinated and (b) long-term approach to foster improvements in (i) support, (ii) research, (iii) diagnosis and (iv) care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock
Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. This could include, but is not limited to, support groups, tailored exercise programs, mental health services, and learning engagement opportunities.
To support ICBs, the Government is investing in dementia research across all areas, from causes, diagnosis and prevention to treatment, care and support, including for carers.
We remain committed to recovering the dementia diagnosis rate to the national ambition of 66.7%. To help realise this ambition, the Government will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.
The Government is committed to improving dementia care through empowering local leaders with the autonomy they need to provide the best services to their local community, including those with dementia.
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