Angela Rippon CBE Backs Charity’s Call To Make Dementia Training Mandatory

Today (Wednesday 13 November) broadcaster and journalist, Angela Rippon CBE will join people affected by dementia at a special Alzheimer’s Society parliamentary event in Westminster, calling on the UK Government to make dementia training mandatory for the social care workforce in England.

Around one million people are living with dementia in the UK, making them one of the biggest groups drawing on social care. According to Alzheimer’s Society nearly 60% of people receiving care at home and 70% of people living in older age residential care have dementia. Dementia is progressive and there is no cure. It affects memory, problem-solving, language and communication so care needs to be tailored. Most dementia care is provided through social care rather than the NHS, yet only 29% of care workers in England have received any dementia training.

Specialist dementia training equips care workers with the skills and knowledge they need to provide good care, build positive relationships and can reduce the inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs which are sometimes used to manage behaviours that challenge. Another benefit is the potential cost savings from reduced GP appointments and emergency hospital admissions.

The social care workforce faces a number of challenges such as work-related stress and burnout, high turnover rates and limited career progression. The charity says a long-term social care workforce strategy which delivers fair pay for care staff, reduces staff turnover, and provides high-quality dementia care is also needed.

Dara de Burca, Executive Director of Dementia Support and Partnerships at Alzheimer’s Society, said:
“Dementia is a complex condition and affects everyone differently. Symptoms vary and get worse over time, so people need personalised care which maintains their quality of life for as long as possible.

“Families affected by dementia rely heavily on social care to support their loved ones, so it’s alarming that less than a third of care workers have received any dementia training. We wouldn’t expect a midwife to deliver a baby without any training, but we expect care staff to provide high-quality care for people with dementia without the appropriate training.

“We all want the best possible care for the people we love. Our research shows investing in dementia training reaps significant benefits and is cost-effective. It can reduce agitation in people with dementia, cut emergency hospital admissions and GP visits and the inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs.

“Dementia is the biggest health and social care issue of our time, costing the UK £42 billion per year, but it isn’t the priority it should be amongst decision makers. We’re calling on the UK Government to take urgent steps to improve dementia care by making dementia training mandatory for the adult social care workforce.”

Angela Rippon CBE, broadcaster and Alzheimer’s Society Ambassador, said: “I was a carer for my late mum, Edna, who lived with vascular dementia. After mum’s diagnosis, I saw the difference the right care and understanding of dementia can make. It helped to preserve Mum’s dignity, made her feel loved and that she was still a valued part of our family.

“I’ve seen first-hand how dementia changes a person’s behaviour. When Mum was diagnosed, she became agoraphobic, angry and aggressive; she had a complete change in character. I learnt not to take it personally; it was dementia speaking, not my mum. But it so clearly showed me the importance of dementia training – how the right attitude towards an understanding of dementia can truly revolutionise and transform care.”

Oonagh Smyth, CEO at Skills for Care, said:
“Dementia is a complex condition that, for many people, slowly disconnects them from their memories, loved ones, and even themselves. The data shows that the number of people with dementia is expected to rise by 43% by 2040—from 982,000 today to 1.4 million. This represents a significant increase in the demand for care services, which will need to deliver the kind of support necessary to truly make a difference for those living with dementia.

“Social care can provide the much-needed compassion, dignity, and understanding these people require to lead fulfilling lives. But it’s not just about care — it’s about creating moments of connection in a world that often feels increasingly unfamiliar. Achieving this will depend on the proper training of those delivering the support.”

“Mandatory dementia training for every member of the social care workforce is one of the recommendations in the Workforce Strategy we developed and an important step towards addressing a major challenge for our sector.”

At today’s event in Portcullis House, Westminster, Alzheimer’s Society will launch its ‘Because we’re human too’ report which highlights why dementia training matters and how to deliver it. Their research shows that scaling up dementia training for the social care workforce is economical when using person-centred, evidence-based programmes like ‘Wellbeing and Health for People Living with Dementia’ (WHELD) and ‘New Interventions for Independence in Dementia’ (NIDUS) Professional.

The report also highlights that dementia training promotes better quality relationships between people with dementia and care staff, improves job satisfaction for care staff and reduces staff turnover.

To download Alzheimer’s Society’s dementia training report, visit alzheimers.org.uk/dementiaworkforcetraining