Dementia and Alzheimer’s Treatments

Lord Scriven Excerpts

Thursday 1st May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

That is a very helpful offer which I will be pleased to accept. I compliment York on its initiatives, which set a very high standard. I will also discuss the points that the noble Baroness has raised with Minister Kinnock, who is the responsible Minister in this area.

[Lord Scriven (LD)]

The previous question shows how the rollout and co-ordination of good practice are really important. Therefore, in light of the 50% staffing cuts to NHS England, can the Minister clarify the plan for the national dementia team which sits within NHS England? Will its core funding and capacity be protected or cut?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

We are abolishing NHSE. It is the biggest quango, and we are finding immense duplication. At this stage, I cannot comment on the exact matter to do with the team, but I can say that dementia work continues to be a very high priority, as I hope the noble Lord heard from my commitment to the noble Lord, Lord Evans. Indeed, we are keen to support not just those at risk of dementia but those who care for them. This is an expanding area of work. We have much good practice to draw on and we are extremely active, as the noble Lord has heard, in developing research to move further forwards more quickly.