The Manchester Dementia Steering Group has the role to set out the vision and priorities for dementia services in the city and also ensuring that we are closely involved and influencing developments across Greater Manchester. The Group is chaired by the CCG’s clinical lead for dementia and includes representation from commissioners across health and social care, locality link for Greater Manchester Dementia United, provider representation from NHS mental health provider, the acute sector and the VCSE. The Group has also ensured that there is involvement for people with lived experience of caring for people with dementia.

Manchester continues to meet the national target for ensuring that people receive an assessment for dementia and we are now meeting the waiting times. We have developed an awareness raising programme for people living in South Asian communities and this needs to be expanded across other diverse communities. We have begun working with PCNs to look at developing roles for the expansion of services in primary care and a review of respite care is planned.

However, there remains a lot to be done in the city in order for us to ensure that we have a network of services that can meet the needs of people living with dementia and their carers. We need to ensure that people are aware of how they can access services and what is available in their local area from being able to respond to a crisis to how you can reduce your risk of being diagnosed with dementia. Increasing awareness of dementia across the workforce is also a priority and ensuring that people who are placed in residential and nursing care receive high quality of care and that this includes a wide range of activities also needs further development.

The ongoing challenge for the Dementia Steering Group is to ensure the dementia remains a priority for the city.

Local links and contacts last updated: June 2022