Sir Gavin Williamson joined Alzheimer’s Society in Parliament to discuss how to best support those living with the disease.
Sir Gavin met with representatives from the charity to spread awareness of the condition during Dementia Action Week. In particular, they discussed the need for an accurate diagnosis of the illness, which a third of people currently living with dementia do not receive. This means that a large proportion of those with dementia are not getting adequate support or care for their illness.
In South Staffordshire, only 66.8% of those with dementia are given a diagnosis. Yet even those who are given a diagnosis are often not given access to new and promising treatments. Nationally, only around 2% of those diagnosed currently receive the specialist tests necessary to confirm if they are eligible for new treatments. This means that many will not be able to access new treatments in the pipeline that appear to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.
Sir Gavin said: “It is encouraging to hear that treatments are being developed that have reported incredibly positive results and I hope these treatments will be accessible to patients as soon as possible. It was great to meet with representatives from Alzheimer’s Society who do so much for the 1 in 3 people in the UK who will develop dementia in their lifetime.”
