The UK government plans to appoint its first national dementia tsar following pressure from charities to prioritize the condition similarly to cancer. The role will focus on driving improvements in dementia prevention, treatment, and care with an annual salary of £171,600. Social care minister Alison McGovern announced the initiative at the Alzheimer's Society conference, acknowledging past neglect of dementia issues, while Baroness Louise Casey emphasized the urgency of implementing such changes.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
- For confidential advice, call Alzheimer's Society's Dementia Support Line on 0333 150 3456
- Alzheimer's Society's symptoms checker can help spot the signs of dementia
The Government is set to appoint the first national dementia tsar after charities urged ministers to treat the condition with the same seriousness as cancer.
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charities → call → cancer
The new recruit will be tasked with providing the 'leadership, focus and accountability needed to drive change with urgency, ambition and sustained focus', according to the job advert published today.
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recruit → task → advert
They will report directly to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and be paid £171,600 a year for the full-time role.
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They → report → role
The new job was advertised just a few hours after social care minister Alison McGovern told the Alzheimer's Society annual conference in London that 'dementia has been neglected for far too long'.
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dementia → advertise → London
Patients and their families are 'too often left to navigate a shattered system at the most difficult time in their lives', she added.
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she → leave → lives
It comes almost three decades after Professor Sir Mike Richards was appointed as the first cancer tsar in 1999.
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Richards → come → 1999
He went on to oversee three consecutive cancer strategies and has been credited with helping to improve care and survival rates.
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He → go → rates
Baroness Louise Casey, chair of the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, called on the government to appoint a dementia tsar in March this year when she outlined her commission's early recommendations.
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she → call → recommendations
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's father had Alzheimer's and died on September 14 aged 85
The new job was advertised just a few hours after social care minister Alison McGovern (pictured) told the Alzheimer's Society annual conference in London that 'dementia has been neglected for far too long'
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dementia → have → long
In a letter to then health secretary Wes Streeting, she advised 'appointing a new, full-time dementia tsar who has national responsibility for driving forward the prevention, treatment and care of dementia'.
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who → advise → dementia
Speaking at today's Alzheimer's Society conference, Lady Casey welcomed the advert but criticised the government for taking so long to start the recruitment process and the speed at which it is implementing change.
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it → speak → change
She said: 'For whatever reason nobody could move this fast enough.
'
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nobody → say → this
We need to keep the pressure on.
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We → need → pressure
It doesn't take six months to work out that you need a tsar and what that tsar looks like - it's one post!'
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it → take → what
Writing in Thursday's Daily Mail she had urged ministers to make dementia 'Britain's next great national mission - just as cancer was for previous generations'.
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cancer → write → generations
Michelle Dyson, chief executive of Alzheimer's Society, has accused the NHS of treating dementia patients like 'second class citizens' who are often 'cast aside' with little more than a leaflet when diagnosed with the condition.
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who → accuse → condition
Contrasting this with cancer, she said: 'If you have cancer, it is treated urgently, you get a specific diagnosis, and there is a clear pathway that takes you through your care and treatment.
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that → contrast → care
Michelle Dyson (pictured), chief executive of Alzheimer's Society, has accused the NHS of treating dementia patients like 'second class citizens' who are often 'cast aside' with little more than a leaflet when diagnosed with the condition
'
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who → picture → condition
Government must make dementia a priority and learn what it can from cancer to create a future where dementia no longer devastates lives.'
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dementia → make → lives
Sir Mike echoed her views and added: 'Dementia deserves the same ambition that has transformed cancer care.
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that → echo → care
Now is the time to build momentum.
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time → build → momentum
The job advert, published on the Department of Health and Social Care website, says: 'Dementia is one of the most significant health challenges facing the country.
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Dementia → publish → country
This role plays a part in supporting the Prime Minister's commitment to fix the adult social care system.
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role → play → system
With the full weight of the government behind it, the role will provide the leadership, focus and accountability needed to drive change with urgency, ambition and sustained focus.
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role → provide → urgency
This senior strategic appointment will set clear direction, bring partners together and accelerate delivery across government, the NHS, social care, research, life sciences and the voluntary sector.'
It says the successful applicant must have experience working in senior leadership roles with evidence of 'influencing national policy, system reform or major public service delivery'.
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applicant → set → policy
But it adds 'personal or professional insight into the impact of dementia on people with lived experience, families and unpaid carers' is only 'desirable'.
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insight → add → experience
Ms Dyson added: 'We welcome the start of the recruitment process for the Dementia Tsar, recommended by Baroness Casey.
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We → add → Casey
'This will help dementia at last receive the attention that is so desperately needed and long overdue.
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that → help → attention
'A dementia tsar must be a catalyst for change and drive forward the progress we need in research, diagnosis and social care.
'
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we → drive → research
They must champion dementia as both an NHS and social care priority and have the power to bring together leaders across all sectors.
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They → champion → sectors
Above all they need to involve people living with dementia and their loved ones.
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they → need → dementia
'This is a real opportunity for the UK government to deliver on their commitments and change the future for people living with dementia.'
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government → deliver → dementia
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