Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of neighbourhood health centres on improving the diagnosis rate for dementia in rural communities.

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. We remain committed to recovering the dementia diagnosis rate to the national ambition of 66.7%.

The Neighbourhood Health Service will bring together teams of professionals closer to people’s homes to work together to provide comprehensive care in the community. Whilst no specific assessment has been made regarding dementia diagnosis rates, we expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While we will be clear on the outcomes we expect, we will give significant licence to tailor the approach to local need. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the services will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, and/or deprived inner cities.

Our health system has struggled to support those with complex needs, including those with dementia. Under the 10-Year Health Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services.