Impact review 2011/12

Coronation Street actor Tony Hirst plays a character, Paul, whose wife has early onset dementia. The soap opera storyline explores Paul's role as a carer and sees him start a relationship with another woman.

How did Alzheimer's Society help you to prepare for the storyline?

'Coronation Street producers and scriptwriters were in constant contact with Alzheimer's Society. People there read all the scripts and gave their advice. They also put me in touch with some men and women who care for partners with dementia. I talked to a man in a similar situation to my character (Paul starts a relationship with another woman while caring for his wife, Lesley, played by actress Judy Holt). It was really helpful to talk to him about issues such as guilt and his concerns about his wife's care. What struck me about some of the carers I met was how they laughed and joked, were warm and affectionate, but just beneath the surface there was anger, frustration and grief for what they'd lost.'

What sort of response have you had from fans?

'I've found that the fans with any experience of a family member or partner with dementia have been  absolutely supportive. It was the ones with no knowledge or understanding of the condition that were judgemental.

'The scriptwriters made a conscious decision to make it early onset dementia because they wanted to challenge expectations and show that it's not just an old person's disease. A lot of viewers were surprised to see Lesley diagnosed, as she was a vibrant, healthy woman in her 40s. It was important to show the physical vibrancy being offset against the brain being so affected. To me, it shows a clear example of the essence of the disease and what it can do.'

What role do you think soap operas have to play in raising awareness of issues like dementia?

'Coronation Street has an audience of over 10 million people. While it's not a campaigning show, the people making it are well aware that they have a real responsibility when tackling something as important as dementia.

'A soap opera is great for getting complex, uncomfortable issues that we'd sometimes prefer not to deal with, into people's living rooms - and in an accessible way. Even if it just skims the surface, it can be a stimulant to get people talking. The strength of the story has provoked opinions and challenged the ones people already held. I hope it will be a springboard for continued debate.'

During the year

• We worked with the Department of Health to develop and roll out the early diagnosis advertising campaign across England. Post the campaign, research showed that 90% of the population now recognise the advantages of early diagnosis and 88% now believe the right treatment can slow down the progression of dementia.
• We continued the powerful Remember the Person theme for Dementia Awareness Week™ 2011 - tackling fear and avoidance of dementia. We reached 91,000 people through local events and activities, 17.5 million people through our media coverage, and 8.3 million people had the opportunity to see our billboard advertising campaign.
• We worked with the producers of Coronation Street on a challenging storyline highlighting the issue of dementia to millions of households. Through advising the cast and scriptwriters, we were instrumental in making sure the issue was handled realistically and sensitively.
• We worked with the Royal College of General Practitioners to improve GPs' understanding of dementia, and collaborated with BMJ Learning to develop an e-learning module on the management of the behavioural symptoms of dementia, which was launched in March 2012.
• As part of the Dementia Action Alliance, we worked with the NHS Institute to launch a call to reduce the use of antipsychotics. Many colleagues in health and social care signed up actively to review the prescriptions of everyone with a diagnosis of dementia who was on antipsychotics.