Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 13 October (HL Deb cols 9–10), what plans they have to introduce an 18-week referral-to-treatment target for dementia to ensure parity with other conditions and to address current waiting times.

We will deliver the first ever Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.

The Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with dementia and will set national standards for dementia care and redirect National Health Service priorities to provide the best possible care and support.

In developing the Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework, we are engaging with a wide group of partners to understand what should be included to ensure the best outcomes for people living with dementia. As part of this exercise, we will consider what interventions should be supported to improve diagnosis waiting times, which we know are too long in many areas. We are considering all options to help reduce variation, including reviewing metrics and targets.