Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to implement a commission lead review on dementia diagnostics.

Lord Darzi’s independent review showed that a timely diagnosis is vital to ensuring that a person with dementia can access the advice, information, care, and support that can help them to live well and remain independent for as long as possible.

The 10-Year Health Plan will address the challenges diagnosed by Lord Darzi, and set the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of complex health and care needs. It will set out how we support and enable health and social care services to work together better to provide that joined-up care.

The Government is launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission, which is expected to begin in April 2025, will form a key part of the Government’s Plan for Change, recognising the importance of adult social care in its own right, as well as its role in supporting the National Health Service.

It is a once in a generation opportunity to transcend party politics and engage in genuine debate on how we can deliver a National Care Service, ensuring all voices are heard, and putting the voices of those with lived experience at the heart of the conversation.