Promoting research through Memory Assessment Services
Lunchtime Sessions 1
17 November, 2026 1:20 – 2:05 pmElectronic Posters
Jessica Roebuck
Stakeholder Engagement Manager
NIHR: Research Delivery Network Coordinating Centre
Sharon Boulter
Senior Research Participation Officer
Alzheimer’s Society
Summary
Background
Join Dementia Research (JDR) is a UK-wide service that enables anyone over the age of 18 to register their interest in participating in dementia research and be matched to suitable studies. The service is run in partnership by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer Scotland.
Research offers hope. It is only through research that we can understand what causes the disease, develop effective treatments, improve care and hopefully one day find a cure. We always need more people to take part in research.
The Problem
A key population that Join Dementia Research aims to support are people experiencing memory concerns, those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and individuals diagnosed with dementia. However, engaging this group has become increasingly challenging due to growing pressures on primary care services and memory assessment pathways. While we have previously collaborated with GPs and memory assessment services to promote research opportunities, rising waiting lists, workforce pressures, and limited consultation time have reduced staff capacity to discuss research participation with patients. As a result, alternative approaches are needed to ensure that people affected by cognitive impairment and dementia are aware of, and able to access, opportunities to take part in research.
The Solution
Alzheimer’s Society have been working in partnership with a number of Memory Assessment Services (MAS) to create referral pathways for MAS staff to encourage people to sign up to Join Dementia Research. This streamlined referral process enables MAS staff to simply ask patients whether they would like to receive further information about Join Dementia Research. With patient consent, their details are then passed to the Alzheimer’s Society Join Dementia Research Helpdesk team for follow-up. As a result, healthcare professionals at the memory assessment services are only required to spend a few minutes introducing the opportunity, rather than using valuable appointment time to explain the service and guide patients through the registration process. This has reduced the burden on clinical teams whilst ensuring that patients still received personalised support to learn about and register with Join Dementia Research.
The Results: Since the referral pathway was set up in 2020/21 there have been over 2,300 referrals, around 390 a year which is a significant increase from before the referrals pathway was implemented. These referrals account for almost 25% of the total enquiries the research helpdesk receives.
One example to show the impact of the referral pathways can be seen in the West Midlands. Before the referral pathway was created there had been only 7 sign ups to Join Dementia Research from memory clinics within the West Midlands. Since the referral pathway was created, there have been 694 sign ups to Join Dementia Research from within the West Midlands who heard about the service from a memory clinic, an increase of over 9000%!
Next Steps
Join Dementia Research and the Alzheimer’s Society, alongside other charity partners, will be looking at how we can continue to roll this approach out across the UK. Join Dementia Research will utilise their Regional Research Delivery Network colleagues, as well as partner organisations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to build relationships with MAS and will then work with the Alzheimer’s Society to create additional referral pathways.