Written Statement: Dementia Action Plan Evaluation

I have this week published the Dementia Action Plan Evaluation, which will inform the successor arrangements to the current Dementia Action Plan and help shape our priorities for the future. 

In 2019, the Welsh Government commissioned Opinion Research Services to assess the implementation and impact of the Dementia Action Plan against its aims and objectives with a particular focus on the provision of person-centred care and support. The evaluation was carried out in several stages. 

This is the final evaluation report. 

The evidence suggests the plan has positively transformed the dementia landscape in Wales and advanced person-centred care and support in a number of areas: 

• Service development – The plan has led to improved multi-disciplinary working among healthcare providers, enhanced memory assessment services and promoted person-centred care and community-level prevention and awareness activities.
• Strategic priority – Dementia has become a focus for health boards and local authorities, encouraging partnership working, co-production, and holistic approaches to patient care. This has led to more integrated services and a stronger emphasis on the overall well-being of people living with dementia.

While the evaluation highlights several areas where progress has been made, it is also clear that this is a long-term journey to optimise care and support for people living with dementia. 

The evaluation concluded with a series of recommendations for the Welsh Government, Regional Partnership Boards (RPBs), organisations, and service providers to consider for future dementia service provision. These recommendations relate to themes such as implementation and monitoring, assessment and diagnosis, post-diagnosis support, access to person-centred provision and support for carers. They provide a meaningful roadmap that set out some of the key objectives to be achieved within the successor arrangements to the Dementia Action Plan. 

I am committed to ensuring we continue to make progress on dementia care and support in Wales, and that this will be driven forward in the successor to the Dementia Action Plan. Discussions have started with the Dementia Oversight and Implementation Group (DOIIG) and other key stakeholders to develop the approach to learning from the evaluation and developing the priorities for the successor arrangements.

Work on the priorities for the future plan has started with the publication of an online questionnaire to gather views about the key areas where we need to focus our future engagement. This marks the start of what will be thorough and wide-reaching engagement throughout 2025. 

I recognise, and I am grateful for the commitment and compassion of all those who play a role in caring for people living with dementia. This includes our NHS, social services, the third sector, and importantly, carers and families. We look forward to working collaboratively with you to ensure your voices help shape our long-term plan to improve the care and support for people living with dementia.