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Things have changed in recent years; Prime Minister Cameron’s pledges on dementia appear to be fading in the national policy memory – is it time to reinvigorate old networks?

Dementia strategies in UK and devolved nations

The national dementia strategy for UK (led by Westminster Government) shows no signs of being refreshed. However Scotland’s dementia strategy has recently been refreshed (31^st May 2023) jointly led by Maree Todd MSP (Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport), and representing local government, Councillor Paul Kelly (COSLA Spokesperson for Health and Social Care).

Meanwhile, the Welsh Government are taking stock after COVID and considering the next steps following the end of their previous action plan in 2022. In Northern Ireland it is unclear if any progress has been made since 2011, with a call for action from Alzheimer’s Society (UK) in 2017.

For England and Wales – the issues related to dementia have been wrapped up in ‘Major Conditions Strategy’ (I have blogged a policy critique previously).

Dementia friendly communities & networks

Furthermore the central resource for dementia-friendly communities, Dementia Action Alliance has been “formally disestablished” (although confusingly the website remains active). Similarly Alzheimer’s Society will bring their recognition scheme for dementia friendly communities to a close on 31^st December 2023. So in England and Wales, we have a mixed picture across two websites of partially historic information about dementia friendly communities and organisations.

Policy development

If we asked, why is this the case for England and Wales? We continue to have an All Party Parliamentary Group for Dementia (in Westminster). At an international level, Alzheimer’s Disease International remains in ‘campaigning mode’ to encourage countries to publish and maintain a national dementia strategy. The Dementia Action Alliance appears content to blame COVID pandemic for the demise of the network. A simple response would be financial constraints, but this is a poor cover for the underlying political choice. It is effectively a deprioritisation of dementia since Cameron’s pledges in 2012 & 2014. That is, assuming that the ‘national crisis’ has been resolved…?

Regional centres for strategic and practice development

With a lack of leadership in national (Westminster) or devolved Governments, with the excellent exception of the Scottish Government, we may seek leadership from elsewhere. Since the 1988 Dementia Services Development Centres were set up and developed into a regional network. The Stirling Dementia Services Development Centre was the first centre, established by Prof Mary Marshall. (linked to Dementia Services Development Trust (Edinburgh)?

Prof Tom Dening is nostalgic about the formation of these centres “Prof Mary Marshall was inspirational in setting up the Centre in Scotland and this was followed by establishment of centres across England. It was at a time where I was seconded to Department of Health, so it really widened my perspective from clinical practice to policy and community environments.” Tom described how Mary’s leadership was influential in development of ‘North Sea Dementia Group’ which brought together national ‘development centres’ from Scandinavia, Netherlands and other countries.

Maybe it’s time to look to these dementia development centres again, especially as policy is becoming more devolved into regions (in UK).

The North Sea Dementia Group has a regular annual meeting and has a small membership for in-depth discussions of policy and practice development. Various countries have been represented at the annual meeting over the years, and the group aims to reach out to more countries across the EU, whilst also maintaining a collegiate atmosphere.