Andy Burnham urged to set dementia waiting-time target
UK government faces mounting calls to introduce an 18-week referral-to-treatment target for dementia care as patient numbers reach one million.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- UK government faces pressure to set a national dementia waiting-time target
- Proposals suggest matching cancer care standards with an 18-week timeline
- Social Care Minister admits dementia has been neglected for far too long
- About one million people live with dementia in the UK, projected to hit 1.4 million
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing growing calls to establish a national waiting-time target for dementia care in England. Stakeholders and health advocates are pushing for the condition to be placed on a level playing field with other major illnesses, drawing comparisons to cancer services which operate under strict timeframe guidelines.
Speaking at an Alzheimer's Society conference on Thursday, Social Care Minister Alison McGovern voiced her support for the proposed report, acknowledging that dementia has been neglected for far too long. She highlighted that families dealing with the condition are frequently left to navigate a fractured system during the most difficult moments of their lives.
The government has committed to appointing a specialized dementia tsar and releasing a modern service framework by the end of the year to accelerate support. Professor Richards, former national cancer director who helped introduce cancer targets in 2000, argued that an 18-week referral-to-treatment target for dementia patients is achievable, though it would require strong political initiative and additional funding.
"All of that is going to cost more money but remember the toll that this condition is taking at the moment, both on the people affected by dementia themselves and their relatives."
The proposal has also been championed by Baroness Casey. In a letter sent to former Health Secretary Wes Streeting in March, she urged the government to set national diagnostic standards including an 18-week target. Baroness Casey is scheduled to publish her comprehensive recommendations on social care reform next summer.
The push for a mandated dementia waiting-time target highlights the historical disconnect between National Health Service (NHS) medical treatment and adult social care in the UK. While acute conditions benefit from rigorous performance benchmarks, chronic neurological conditions often face delayed interventions. Implementing a formal waiting target serves as a regulatory tool to force structural resource allocation as the nation's demographics age.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The issue holds personal significance for Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who recently cancelled engagements following the death of his father, Roy, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Burnham previously spoke in July about how his father's condition inspired his drive to reform adult social care in England. He has stated he will wait for Baroness Casey's recommendations before finalizing structural and funding changes.
Source: #Andy Burnham#dementia care#Alison McGovern#Alzheimer's Society#UK social care
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment