Health secretary unveils new dementia care strategy

A new dementia care strategy has been unveiled by health secretary Alan Johnson.

Set to result in the appointment of advisers and increased training for GPs, the report is backed by 150 million pounds of government money over the first two years.

The strategy will also aim to increase awareness of the condition, allowing for early diagnosis and intervention for sufferers of the disease.

Mr Johnson noted caring for people with dementia is “one of the most important challenges”, due to an aging population.

He stated: “Diagnosis can be difficult, care can be patchy and without adequate support, families can be under huge stress. All that must change.”

Chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society Neil Hunt said “there is so much to do”, adding change won’t “happen overnight”.

According to the organisation’s statistics, 700,000 people in the UK have dementia, of which 15,000 sufferers are young people and two-thirds are female.