Lorely Burt Speaks out Against Government's Dementia Policy
March 16, 2010 11:34 AM
Lorely Burt, MP for Solihull has today called for better research and diagnosis for Alzheimer's suffers in a debate in Parliament.
Lorely said "I know the tragedy of Alzheimer's first hand. Alzheimer's is not curable today, but for every £1 spent on dementia research, £12 is spent on investigating cancer and £3 on heart disease.
'Yet the financial cost - leaving aside the personal toll, is £323bn a year, dwarfing the cost of cancer care and heart disease.'
'The health service must get better at diagnosis in order to help families come to terms with the disease and plan for the future. Someone close to me - after great pressure from the family - managed to get a consultant appointment. But the consultant helped her 'cheat' in the memory test so that she appeared more well then she really was.'
'I am concerned the health service is pursuing a strategy of ignoring the problem unless relatives fight for help or the illness becomes so bad it cannot be ignored anymore".
The Alzheimer's Research Trust has estimated that only 31% of people with dementia are registered on GPs' lists.
Lorely added
"Listening to constituents and from my own personal experience, it has become apparent that the Government has failed on its implementation of their dementia policy."
"The Government often offers soothing words on what they are doing to deal with the problem but in terms of action we see nothing"
"Dementia continues to be a growing problem across the country and it is high time the Government takes the issue seriously."
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