The UK government has launched the recruitment process for its first-ever dementia tsar, a role intended to provide focused leadership on improving care for those affected by dementia. The position, announced on Thursday at the Alzheimer’s Society annual conference, will report directly to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and carries a salary of £171,600 per year.
The appointment follows calls from dementia charities and experts urging ministers to address dementia with the same urgency and coordination historically applied to cancer care. The role is expected to drive progress in research, diagnosis, and social care for dementia patients, reflecting a commitment to overhaul a system widely viewed as fragmented and under-resourced.
Baroness Louise Casey, chair of the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, who first recommended the creation of a dementia tsar in March, expressed frustration over the delay of nearly six months between her recommendation and the official job posting. Criticizing the pace of civil service action, she described the protracted timeline as unnecessary, arguing the post was a straightforward and urgent requirement. Casey also highlighted broader systemic issues, including the NHS’s resistance to implementing relatively simple improvements, such as guaranteeing geriatrician presence in all accident and emergency departments to better support elderly patients.
In addition to bureaucratic slowness, Casey condemned the NHS and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) repeated decisions to reject newer Alzheimer’s drugs like donanemab and lecanemab on cost-effectiveness grounds. These drugs, lauded internationally for their ability to slow Alzheimer’s progression, are developed in the UK but remain unavailable to local patients due to funding concerns. Casey described this as “insane” and symptomatic of a lack of coordinated policy, pointing out that while the government invests heavily in dementia research, patients often do not reap the benefits. She also contrasted the cautious approach to dementia treatments with the more expedited approval processes seen in cancer care, citing the recent approval of the breast cancer drug Enhertu as an example.
Social care minister Alison McGovern, speaking at the conference, acknowledged that dementia has been neglected and emphasized the challenge families face navigating a “shattered system.” The government’s job advert for the dementia tsar underscored the role’s significance, stating it would carry “the full weight of the government behind it” to address one of the country’s most pressing health challenges, and contribute toward fulfilling the Prime Minister’s pledge to reform adult social care.
The Alzheimer’s Society welcomed the government’s move, with chief executive Michelle Dyson calling the role a critical step toward treating dementia with the priority it deserves. Dyson criticized the NHS for historically treating dementia patients like “second-class citizens,” often providing minimal support. She stressed the tsar’s potential to serve as a catalyst for meaningful change across healthcare and social services.
This development comes as regional leaders, including Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, prepare for wider social care reforms, with Casey’s upcoming report expected to influence future policy decisions aimed at creating a more integrated national care service.