[Photo credit: Wera Hobhouse MP]
Bath’s MP Wera Hobhouse joined Alzheimer’s Research UK, along with leading dementia researchers and government ministers, in Parliament to back their call to accelerate progress towards new dementia treatments. The event gave attendees the chance to discuss the latest breakthroughs in dementia research and opportunities for better diagnosis and treatment.
With around 1 million people in the UK living with dementia, it is one of the country’s greatest health, economic and social challenges.
Across Bath, dementia already affects thousands of families, with 1,258 people currently living with the devastating condition. With numbers across the UK predicted to rise, continued research is crucial to turning the tide. There is increasing optimism about the growing pipeline of potential treatments in development worldwide, which represents a huge opportunity for UK patients – and the Bath MP says it is crucial that political leaders seize this.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, said:
”It was incredibly encouraging to see the groundbreaking research taking place across the UK and to hear directly from researchers and people affected by dementia.
“It is an exciting time for dementia research, with 158 new therapies currently being tested in 192 clinical trials. Research is opening up new possibilities for earlier diagnosis and new treatments. However, we are at a crossroads, and the time for action is now. We must ensure that the Government supports dementia research and enables the NHS to adopt new treatments and diagnostics so people can benefit from these advances as quickly as possible.
“I was proud to support this event on behalf of my constituents living with dementia and their families”.
David Thomas, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:
“Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer, but research is changing what is possible. Scientists across the UK are making remarkable progress in understanding, diagnosing and treating the diseases that cause dementia.
“We were delighted to welcome Mrs Hobhouse to our Dementia Research Showcase and are grateful for her support. We need more politicians to champion dementia research and efforts to ultimately find a cure.”
This is very welcome news but, with cases of sepsis rising, we should also be aware that there will be more cases of Post Sepsis Syndrome (Sepsis Associated Encephalopathy) which has similar symptoms but is not always recognised. Having survived sepsis in 2024 I’ve found that there is very little awareness of the condition even amongst medical professionals.