Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve healthcare services for those living with dementia.

Personalised care and support planning is supported by ‘Dementia: Good Care Planning – information for primary care and commissioners’ which sets out the development of care and support planning following an initial holistic assessment of a person’s health and well-being needs within the context of their whole life and family situation. This process recognises the person’s skills and strengths as well as their experiences and the things that matter most to them. The guide is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/dementia-good-care-planning-information-for-primary-care-and-commissioners/

We continue to work with stakeholders and health and care system partners to support people with dementia and their carers, including work by NHS England and NHS Improvement’s guidance on the adjustments needed across the Dementia Well Pathway during the pandemic to ensure people continue to be diagnosed and can access care and support. In addition, we have made £17 million available to NHS England and NHS Improvement to address dementia waiting lists and increase the number of diagnoses.