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Britain aims to be world's best dementia care nation by 2020: health chief

Xinhua, March 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

Britain will become the most dementia friendly country in the world within four years, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced Sunday.

He published a dementia implementation plan pledging a 7-days a week National Health Service(NHS) to help people live well with dementia.

It will make Britain the most dementia friendly society in the world by 2020, said Hunt.

He said the plan published Sunday will empower people with dementia and their families through improved care and transparency.

As part of plans to raise awareness of health concerns, a new pilot scheme will extend NHS Health Checks. For the first time the checks will include awareness raising, education and discussion of risk reduction for dementia for people aged 40 or older. This is currently only available for people aged over 65. An estimated 850,000 Britons currently suffer from the disease.

"A dementia diagnosis can bring fear and heartache, but I want Britain to be the best place in the world to live well with dementia. We have made massive strides on diagnosis rates and research - the global race is now on to find a cure for dementia and I want the UK to win it," said Hunt.

"I want us to make big progress on the quality of care and treatment. Hospitals can be frightening and confusing places for people with dementia, so our new plan will guarantee them safer 7 day hospital care, as well as tackling unacceptable variations in quality across England through a transparent rating system."

The plan will mean for the first time people with dementia and their families will be able to compare the quality of dementia care in their local areas. Care commissioners will make sure services are safer for people with dementia 7 days a week, with every person with dementia receiving a personalised care plan.

Jeremy Hughes, CEO of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "We applaud the government's firm commitment to make the UK the most dementia friendly place in the world. We look forward to leading the continued transformation of society and investment in research so that, by 2020, people with dementia get the support they need every day of the year - whether that be at home, in residential care, hospital or in the wider community."

David Mayhew, Prime Minister David Cameron's Dementia Envoy, said: "This plan lays out a clear direction for driving forward improved care, new treatments and greater awareness, and it will be important to link this strategy to international efforts if we are to have the greatest impact."

The British government is investing 214 million U.S. dollars to develop a national Dementia Research Institute to drive forward new treatments and help fulfill a goal to find a cure by 2025. Endit