Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure access to speech and language therapy for people with primary progressive aphasia.

The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs) and may include speech and language therapy. We expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

Patients can be referred to a speech and language therapist at any time after a diagnosis. The therapist will assess speech, language, and communication difficulties and how they are affecting the patient or making everyday life difficult. They can also help with eating, drinking, and swallowing difficulties.