Baroness Casey Calls for National Mission to Combat Dementia

Drawing a parallel to the progress made in cancer treatment, Baroness Casey is urging the nation to unite behind a new mission to combat dementia. In an opinion piece published around World Alzheimer's Month, she argues that dementia, a collection of neurological diseases including Alzheimer's, should be treated with the same seriousness and ambition as cancer once was.

Dementia is often mistakenly viewed as a natural part of aging or a social care issue, rather than a series of significant health conditions requiring dedicated diagnosis, research, and treatment. This perspective leaves individuals with dementia and their families struggling to cope without adequate support.

Casey highlights the Alzheimer's Society's call for individuals with dementia to receive a diagnosis, care plan, and access to treatment within 18 weeks of GP referral, a standard already applied to other major health conditions. She emphasizes that this is merely a starting point.

Drawing lessons from the transformation in cancer survival since the 1970s, Casey points to the importance of a broader mission encompassing investment in research, expanded clinical trials, improved treatments, post-diagnosis support, and a prepared healthcare workforce. She advocates for making the country a leading center for dementia trials and implores the National Health Service (NHS) to prepare for the delivery of next-generation treatments.

With projections indicating 1.4 million people will be living with dementia by 2040, Casey stresses the urgency of addressing this growing challenge. She calls for the appointment of a dedicated "dementia tsar" to lead and drive the national mission, noting that current responsibility is too diffuse, leading to a lack of accountability.

Britain's history of achieving significant national goals, from post-war reconstruction to rapid vaccine development during the pandemic, demonstrates its capacity for collective action. Casey believes dementia can be the next such mission, but success requires public involvement in shaping expectations and the necessary systems of care.

To facilitate this, a public engagement initiative called "The Big Conversation On Care" is underway, inviting citizens to vote on proposals for dementia care. Casey believes that by improving diagnosis, treatment, and care for those affected by dementia, a more hopeful future can be created for everyone.