Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing growing pressure to establish a formal national waiting-time target for dementia care across England. Health advocates and senior policy figures are urging the administration to mirror the structured timelines successfully used in cancer treatment to overhaul a system they argue has fallen significantly behind modern standards.
A recent joint report issued by the Alzheimer's Society and the King's Trust outlines the need for a major transformation in dementia services. The publication advocates for the introduction of an 18-week referral-to-treatment framework, describing current care mechanisms as severely outdated.
This proposal has received backing from Professor Sir Mike Richards, who previously served as England's national cancer director, alongside Baroness Louise Casey, the leader of an ongoing review into adult social care. Professor Richards noted that implementing a strict waiting timeframe is entirely feasible, though it would demand strong political leadership and additional financial investment to manage the heavy toll the disease places on patients and their families.
Government officials have acknowledged the urgent need for reform. Speaking at an Alzheimer's Society conference, Social Care Minister Alison McGovern expressed support for the proposed roadmap, admitting that dementia care has suffered from prolonged neglect. She emphasized that the divide between health and social care creates severe burdens for families attempting to navigate a fragmented system.
In response to these challenges, the government has announced plans to introduce a dedicated national dementia official and release a modern service framework before the end of the year to accelerate access to support. Currently, England maintains no mandated waiting time limits for dementia evaluations or care, contrasting sharply with standardized NHS goals applied to oncology patients.
The push for reform comes as approximately one million people live with dementia across the United Kingdom, a total projected to climb to 1.4 million by 2040. Baroness Casey is scheduled to release her comprehensive social care recommendations by the middle of next year.
Prime Minister Burnham recently returned to work following compassionate leave following the death of his father, Roy, who had lived with Alzheimer's disease. The Prime Minister's personal experience with the condition has heavily shaped his commitment to restructuring adult social care. He has indicated that final decisions regarding structural and financial updates to the system will be determined after reviewing Baroness Casey's forthcoming proposals.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.
