Government announces 48 million pounds for dementia research as Scott Mitchell welcomes legacy

Government announces 48 million pounds for dementia research

The government has announced a 48 million pound investment in dementia research, aimed at improving research and speeding up new treatments. Of that total, 33 million pounds will go directly to a programme in Dame Barbara Windsor's name. The announcement follows years of campaigning by Windsor, who died with dementia in 2020, and her widower Scott Mitchell.

The funding will support the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme, set up in 2022, and in particular the Barbara Alliance. Mitchell said the Barbara Alliance will act as a database, bringing together biomarkers, blood tests and existing data under one umbrella. At present, he said, dementia data is fragmented. Pooling it should make research more efficient, help identify people who develop dementia later in life, and make it easier to match patients to trials and treatments.

Mitchell said the news was beyond his wildest dreams. He welcomed the prime minister's description of dementia as a national priority and said it was a game changer. He described a recent chance meeting with the prime minister, whom he met through his day job as an agent, and said he found him invested, with integrity and passion. He added that personal experience of dementia can shape how a family understands the condition.

He also set out the problems in current care. He said that after a diagnosis at a memory clinic, patients are often given a leaflet and told to get on with it until their condition gets worse. Many people do not know where to go or how to join a trial. He said 90 per cent of people living with dementia say they would take part in a trial, and that more participants would speed up treatment development. Scientists working in the field believe a major breakthrough is close, he added. Treatments work best when the condition is caught early, so he encouraged people not to avoid a diagnosis.

For families affected by dementia, Mitchell advised people to do the best they can and not to jump too far ahead. He said every case is different, that carers learn on the job, and that they should forgive themselves when things go wrong. His main advice was not to contradict a person with dementia when what they say does not make sense, but to enter their reality as the kindest response.