Many thanks to those who have contacted me about dementia and the Alzheimer’s Society.
I believe that increasing public awareness and understanding of dementia among the wider public is vital to ensure that people are supported to live well with the condition.
Research is crucial to understanding and tackling dementia. Under the Challenge on Dementia 2020 strategy, the Government's commitment to spend over £300 million on dementia research between 2015 and 2020 was met a year early, with £341 million being spent by March 2019. The Government is also supporting the £79 million Accelerating Detection of Disease challenge, a project bringing together the NHS, industry and leading charities to support research into the early diagnosis of disease, including dementia.
I know that the Government remains committed to research to combat dementia, and will shortly lay out plans for supporting people with dementia in England up to 2025 - I look forward to seeing these plans and funding commitments at the next Spending Review. I will work with my colleagues in the Department of Health and Social Care to ensure that the manifesto commitment to double research funding to over £160 million each year by 2030 is delivered as swiftly as is possible.
I am proud to support a Government that is committed to creating a sustainable adult care system that is fit for the future. An extra £36 billion will be invested in the health and care system over the next three years, including £5.4 billion in adult social care, to ensure it has the resources it needs to recover from the pandemic. Further, the Government announced a landmark £33.9 billion for the NHS by 2023/24 to secure the long term future of our NHS.
I hope this reassures you about the Government’s commitment to high-quality dementia care and research.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
