Tuesday 17 May 2022 06:43 PM Sajid Javid says 'seismic shifts' are needed to fight dementia trends now
Sajid Javid said his plan, set to be published later this year, will look at why people fall ill, with figures suggesting up to four in 10 cases are potentially preventable
A 10-year plan to tackle dementia will have a big focus on prevention, the Health Secretary claimed today as he promised a 'seismic shift' in how the condition is tackled.
Sajid Javid said his blueprint, set to be published later this year, will look at why people fall ill, with figures suggesting up to four in 10 cases are potentially preventable.
Speaking at the Alzheimer's Society annual conference in central London, he said: 'We know now that what's good for the heart is also good for the brain.
'Action on high blood pressure, physical inactivity, alcohol, obesity and healthy eating all have a part to play. We're going to be very ambitious on prevention.'
But charity bosses warned today that Mr Javid's plans will 'mean nothing' without 'ambitious funding', noting that Government plans have previously 'not matched the scale and impact of dementia'.
The condition, which 430,000 people in England were diagnosed in the last year, was the leading cause of death after Covid in England and Wales in 2020.
Experts estimate another 325,000 are suffering without a formal diagnosis, which medics warn is vital for patients to receive necessary care.
Diagnosis rates have fallen below the Government's target of two-thirds since the pandemic began.
Speaking at the Alzheimer's Society annual conference in central London, Sajid Javid said: 'We know now that what's good for the heart is also good for the brain. 'Action on high blood pressure, physical inactivity, alcohol, obesity and healthy eating all have a part to play. We're going to be very ambitious on prevention.'
Mr Javid said he wanted his plan, which will be published later this
