Our response to the Prime Minister's announcement of a National Care Service

A long-overdue social care overhaul

Michelle Dyson CB, CEO of Alzheimer's Society, has welcomed the Prime Minister's commitment to establish a National Care Service, describing it as a potential turning point for people affected by dementia after decades of unmet promises on social care reform.

For decades, people affected by dementia have paid the price for political failure on social care. Today the Prime Minister has set out a vision to change that.

Families can no longer wait for change

Alzheimer's Society says too many families have been left struggling with inconsistent support and difficult decisions about caring for loved ones, often with little help available when they need it most.

Michelle said: 'Families have been pushed to breaking point by patchy support and impossible choices about how to care for someone they love. From his personal experience Andy Burnham, like the millions of people across the UK affected by dementia, understands why people can no longer be asked to wait for change.'

She added that this lived understanding makes the government's commitment particularly significant.

'That's why we welcome the Prime Minister's commitment to build a National Care Service, which could be a historic turning point.'

People affected by dementia must be central to the plans

With dementia one of the biggest drivers of demand for social care, Alzheimer's Society is urging ministers to ensure people living with the condition are at the heart of any future reforms.

'Dementia is one of the biggest drivers of demand for social care and, as the Prime Minister pointed out, if social care continues to fail, pressure on the NHS will only grow.'

Michelle said meaningful social care reform must deliver practical improvements for people affected by dementia, including timely access to care and support, a skilled workforce with specialist dementia expertise, and better support for unpaid carers.

'People living with dementia must be at the heart of these plans. That means access to high-quality care and support when it is needed, a skilled and valued workforce with dementia expertise, and better support for unpaid carers.'

The true test is better support for people affected by dementia

While welcoming the announcement, we stressed that success will ultimately be measured by the difference it makes to the daily lives of people affected by dementia.

In Michelle's words, 'the measure of success will not be the ambition of today's announcement. It will be whether people living with dementia and their families finally get the care and support they have been denied for far too long.'

This must be the moment social care is finally fixed.