Jeff Smith MP for Manchester Withington joined other MP’s from across Greater Manchester for a parliamentary briefing about plans underway to make Greater Manchester the best place for people with dementia and their carers to live.

As part of the historic Greater Manchester devolution agreement, dementia has been set as an early priority for health and social care reform in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority area. Sir David Dalton, Chief Executive of Salford Royal Foundation Trust, is leading a dementia transformation programme called ‘Dementia United’. Over the next five years, this programme of work aims to bring together partners from across Greater Manchester to improve the experiences of people with dementia and reduce pressure on the health and social care system.

George McNamara, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Alzheimer’s Society said: “Across Greater Manchester Alzheimer’s Society has been working to support this project, which we believe has the potential not only to transform dementia care in Greater Manchester, but to serve as a catalyst to improve life for people affected by dementia nationally.

Over the next five years Dementia United will work with partners from across the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs, as well as people with dementia and carers, voluntary sector groups, providers, academics and businesses to meet this ambition. The programme is likely to include piloting new key worker models; developing new assistive technology; regularly monitoring and comparing data from across Greater Manchester to reduce variance in dementia care; and ensuring people with dementia and carers are at the heart of designing the programme.”

Jeff Smith MP said: “It was great to join colleagues from across Greater Manchester at the Alzheimer’s Society’s parliamentary briefing on Wednesday to hear about the changes taking place in Greater Manchester to transform dementia support and the developments that are expected over the next five years.

I support plans to ensure that every person with dementia, and, every carer gets the high quality support and care they deserve in Manchester Withington. Together, we can make Greater Manchester a world leader when it comes to dementia.”