Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of novel methods for the early diagnosis of dementia; and if he will make a statement.

We are investing in research on dementia diagnosis, such as a £9 million invitation for research proposals for submission to the National Institute for Health and Care Research on digital approaches for the early detection and diagnosis of dementia which was launched in November 2021.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have commissioned resources including an e-learning course developed by University College London to support memory services to manage a change in practice, ensuring the delivery of a personalised assessment and diagnosis via a blended service model; and a guide developed by Leeds Beckett University to support continuous development, improvement and innovation in memory services.

We will set out plans for dementia in England for the next 10 years later this year, which will include a focus on diagnosis, risk reduction and prevention and research.