Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor levels of dementia risk and (b) improve guidance on how to prevent dementia.

Raising awareness of dementia risk reduction is one of the key priorities outlined in the Challenge on Dementia 2020 implementation plan. Public Health England’s (PHE) Dementia Intelligence Network, includes an online dementia profile which brings together all available indicators for dementia, including risk reduction. This profile enables the risk factors for dementia to be monitored on a regular basis.

PHE has recently published improved guidance on reducing dementia risk, including ‘Health Matters: A resource for health professionals and local authorities’ that makes the case for action in midlife to promote healthy lifestyles that can reduce the risk of dementia. PHE also increases awareness of dementia risk reduction through programmes for the public, such as strengthening the NHS Health Check.