Dementia strategy: initial 2-year delivery plan - 2024 to 2026

Our Key Deliverables

For clarity of accountability, the following key, funded deliverables by 2026 are:

1. A public-facing campaign that challenges the stigma associated with dementia, co-produced with the National Dementia Lived Experience Panel.

The purpose of the campaign is to promote better understanding and reduce the stigma associated with dementia that can inhibit people presenting for diagnosis; can impact on take-up of Post-Diagnostic Support (PDS); contributes to stress and isolation for care partners/unpaid carers and which affects the quality of interaction with public services.

2. Commission an independent evaluation of the Aberdeen Brain Health Service, supported by a cross-governmental; cross-sectoral oversight group.

3. Work with Public Heath Scotland, and local and academic partners, to add to the data we collect and publish on diagnosis and Post-Diagnostic Support (PDS), including:

• the number of people receiving a diagnosis and the proportion of those diagnosed who access PDS;
• qualitative data on the impact of PDS and other supports; and
• demographic data that supports a strengthened focus on inclusion and equalities, to the benefit in particular of people with protected characteristics and those from marginalised communities (including care home residents).

4. Establish a short life working group to further develop current understanding of the workforces supporting people living with dementia, identifying any gaps. The short life working group will seek to establish a profile of the known learning and development needs of these workforces and of existing resources building on the Promoting Excellence Framework; it will present a view on ongoing and future learning and development approaches. It will also consider the links with recruitment and retention.

5. An independent evaluation of Scotland’s Post-Diagnostic Support policy and delivery, including the perspective of people living with dementia and care partners/unpaid carers and those living in care homes. The evaluation will provide evidence of the value and impact of Post-Diagnostic Support to date, helping inform future PDS policy, service planning and practice.

6. Establish a Resilient Communities Programme Board tasked with identifying priorities and allocating dedicated Scottish Government funding to grassroots and community organisations to enable a sustainable infrastructure to grow across the country. Accountable to the national dementia governance structures, the Board will comprise Chief Officer representatives from local areas, relevant national third sector and community networks and people with lived experience.

7. Establish a cross-governmental; cross-sectoral steering group to help shape the Scottish Government’s role in contributing to the research and development of greater understanding around dementia risk, earlier dementia identification, diagnosis, and treatment, including the trialling of new treatments which can slow the progression of some dementias.