Championing dementia support at the 2025 party conferences

James Evans, Dementia UK Public Affairs Officer and Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock

Every autumn, political party conferences bring together MPs, councillors and delegates to discuss the big issues shaping our country. For Dementia UK, it’s a vital opportunity to speak directly to decision-makers who can help transform dementia care.

This year we joined the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat gatherings in Manchester, Liverpool and Bournemouth. We discussed the importance of every family affected by dementia having access to a specialist dementia nurse, like our Admiral Nurses.

And thanks to over 3,300 Dementia UK supporters asking their MPs to meet with us, we made sure that dementia specialist nursing was firmly on the agenda.

• We met with 176 MPs to speak to them about the vital role of Admiral Nurses
• We had conversations with the Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock, and Liberal Democrat Leader, Sir Ed Davey to make the important case for increased access to tailored, specialist dementia support
• We held in-depth one-to-one meetings to further make our case, including with the Shadow Secretary for Health and Social Care, Stuart Andrew, and the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health, Helen Morgan
• Over 50 councillors spoke to us about the need for local improvements in dementia care and how they can make change happen in their communities up and down the UK

Dementia UK colleagues meeting the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Stuart Andrew

Why Admiral Nurses, and why now?

Dementia is the leading cause of death in the UK. Around one million people are living with the condition in the UK, and this is set to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

It’s a huge and growing health crisis, but dementia care is often fragmented – or even non-existent from the point of diagnosis. Too many families face the many challenges without support, leaving them exhausted, overwhelmed and alone.

Admiral Nurses provide the gold standard in dementia care. They offer personalised support and expert guidance to help families manage the complexities of the condition. But access is patchy, and far too many people are left without the help they need.

The need for specialist dementia support has never been more urgent. It will improve outcomes for families affected by dementia, ease pressure on the NHS and prevent avoidable crises.

Our clear message to MPs

In our conversations with MPs, we shared the clear steps the Government needs to take to improve dementia care by increasing access to specialist dementia nursing in hospitals and communities across the UK.

The new NHS 10-Year Health Plan for England promises more personalised, joined-up care on people’s doorsteps through Neighbourhood Health Centres. This could be transformational for people affected by dementia, but its potential can only be realised if specialist dementia nurses play a key role. By working with MPs, we can make sure they are built into those teams from the start – so that dementia care is truly integrated, not an afterthought.

Andrew Pike, Dementia UK Deputy Director of Policy, Campaigns and Public Affairs meeting Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health, Helen Morgan

What happens next?

Conferences aren’t just about conversations; they’re a launchpad for action. MPs are already starting to publicly support our calls for more specialist dementia nurses across the UK and their inclusion in Neighbourhood Health Teams in England.

With your support, we’ll continue to engage with policymakers to make sure dementia care remains firmly on the political agenda.