NEW DEMENTIA STRATEGY WELCOME BUT A MISSED OPPORTUNITY- MULHOLLAND

8.01.00am GMT Mon 2nd Feb 2009

Greg Mulholland, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Older People and MP for Leeds North West, has said the Government's New National Dementia Strategy announced today is a missed opportunity.

The strategy does contain welcome measures, such as measures designed to improve early diagnosis and in providing more support to carers, but no commitment for extra research into dementia, and a review into the use of antipsychotic drugs has been delayed.

Commenting Greg said:

"The strategy is a welcome, if overdue, first step, and it does contain some positive measures.

"However, it is also a fundamentally missed opportunity.

"No increase in research funding means we are, and will remain, no closer to understanding dementia, and addressing the devastating impact that it has on the thousands of people and their families.

"The problem of dementia is not going to go away, and unless we address it properly now the costs, both to sufferers, their families, and the health service, will only get much worse."

ENDS