The Challenge
Dementia will be the leading challenge for the NHS for the next 70 years in terms of numbers affected and associated costs.
The current cost to the NHS of £23 billion a year is predicted to triple by 2040, outweighing the combined costs of cancer, heart disease and stroke.
1 million people in the UK will be living with Dementia by 2030 – 65% of them are women. Dementia affects 1 in 11 people over age 65 in the UK.
The Innovations
CARE has supported just 4 projects aimed at:
- Addressing Inequalities: 50% of the projects addressed the wellbeing of people with dementia by introducing digital technologies to improve personal connections. A further project recognised the need for a dementia test to support patients who don’t have English as a first language.
- Quality of care: All projects focused on improving clinical care through enhancements to clinical IT systems in practices.
- Health Creation: Some of the initiatives focused on improving wellbeing through the development of support tools.
of CARE projects are likely to reduce health inequalities faced by dementia patients.
The Impact
- Danielle’s Dementia Test: Developing a dementia test for patients whose first language is not English.
- Nikki’s Dementia Alert: A flag was added to patients’ medical records to facilitate the provision of appropriate care.
- Charlotte’s Dementia Network: During the Covid pandemic, this virtual network connected patients, families and others from care homes, reducing isolation and improving wellbeing.
