CST International Conference

The NHS 2025/26 Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance has been published and shows that the dementia diagnosis rate target has been removed.  The target had said that 66.7% of people living with dementia in England should have a diagnosis. Dementia is now not mentioned in the guidance at all.  Fiona Carragher, Chief Policy and Research…

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC)’s second assessment of new Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab has aligned with their original decision (that we reported on here https://journalofdementiacare.co.uk/smc-reject-lecanemab-for-use-in-nhs-in-scotland) maintaining that lecanemab won’t be used in the NHS in Scotland.    This aligns with the view of NICE (which we covered here: https://journalofdementiacare.co.uk/nice-publish-final-draft-guidance-on-lecanemab-and-donanemab) when considering lecanemab for use in the NHS…

A new documentary, The Memory Boom, has premiered at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.  The film is by Antosh Wojcik and Xenia Glenn from Sleepwalker Studios in Dorset and is described as:  “An experimental feature that recreates the experiences of dementia through an immersive blend of spoken word, documentary, dramatic reconstruction, and never-before-seen decayed archive…

Christians in Care has launched a new website to provide an online home to support Christians working in the UK care sector.  Christians in Care is a network that provides safe spaces for Christian carers to share the highs and lows of working in social care.  You can find out more here: http://www.christiansincare.org/ 

The Song Therapy Network, an informal community of singers, instrumental musicians, music teachers and activity providers working in different community settings, is urging more practitioners to join their network.  Co-founded by Nigel Neill in 2019, the community has 200+ members and can be joined for free. The Song Therapy Network also offer an independent leadership…

Opening Doors, a charity launched in 2016 to support and advocate for LGBTQ+ individuals over 50, has announced its permanent closure on 29 February 2024.     Bridget Symonds, CEO of Opening Doors, said: “Despite the relentless efforts of our Board of Trustees and staff to secure a sustainable future for our work, the current economic environment…