Mixed reaction for national dementia strategy
pharmafile | February 4, 2009 | News story | |Â Â NHS, hcÂ
The government's national dementia strategy, announced this week, has received a mixed reception from patient groups and the media.
The new plan, announced earlier this week, focuses on raising awareness of dementia, early diagnosis and support, and improving the lives of sufferers.
Its injection of £150 million over the next two years to improve services was welcomed by many, but others questioned the lack of extra funds for research.
Dementia costs the UK economy £17 billion a year, with direct costs to the NHS estimated at £3.3bn a year.
In a statement the Alzheimer's Society said the strategy "will make an incredible difference to the lives of people with dementia and their carers if it is implemented".
"It is vital that delivery is made a high priority," it concluded.
The Daily Mail, which has been critical of the UK's record on dementia treatment, said in an editorial: "This is an excellent start and we welcome it warmly."
However, the strategy has been criticised for offering no new commitment on research.
It is estimated that by 2040 the number of people with dementia in the UK will double to 1.4 million, with the cost of that trebling to over £50bn a year.
Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said researchers "are struggling for want of funds".
"If research results in a five-year delay in the development of dementia, we could halve the number of people who die with the disease," she adds.
The trust wants the £1bn which the government expects its strategy to save over the next ten years to be re-invested into research.
Wood's concern over funding is echoed at Help The Aged.
"This strategy is a welcome step but more money must be provided for research into the causes of dementia," says Paul Cann, the charity's director of policy and external relations.
"Early diagnosis now gives cancer sufferers the hope of recovery – without essential research, there can be no such hope for dementia patients," he adds.
The government's new strategy sets out 17 recommendations for the NHS and local authorities to take to improve dementia care services.
These include:
* Training for GPs to recognise early symptoms
* The setting up of memory services staffed by specialists to provide early diagnosis and treatment
* A pilot in which appointed dementia advisers will help sufferers and their families navigate the care and support system throughout their illness.
Health secretary Alan Johnson said: "I know that for many people, diagnosis can be difficult, care can be patchy and without adequate support, families can be under huge stress. All that must change."
It is estimated that there are currently 700,000 people in the UK with dementia, 570,000 of whom are in England.
The NHS in England spent £60.9 million on dementia drugs during 2005.
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