Dementia Action Week (Monday 18 to Friday 22 May 2026) is an opportunity to raise awareness of dementia, encourage understanding, and highlight the role of research in improving diagnosis, care, and support for people affected by the condition. Led by Alzheimer's Society, the campaign brings together organisations and communities across the UK to take action on dementia and promote the importance of timely diagnosis and support.
Dementia affects hundreds of thousands of people across the UK, impacting individuals, families, carers, and health and care services. Research shows that 1 in 3 people living with dementia in the UK do not currently have a diagnosis, despite most people affected recognising the benefits of receiving one. Primary care plays a vital role in recognising early signs and symptoms, supporting diagnosis, and helping people access the care, advice, and services they need.
NEWS: UK dementia patients may be taking antipsychotics too long. A University College London-led SPCR study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, warned that many people with dementia in England are prescribed powerful antipsychotic drugs for far longer than national guidelines recommend.
RESEARCH: Understanding the extent of, and variation in, polypharmacy in people living with dementia and the impact of care home admission. (School for Primary Care Research Grant Reference Number: 744).This research aims to find out about polypharmacy in people living with dementia and identify whether there are particular people (e.g., by age, sex, ethnicity, deprivation, and care home residence) who are prescribed a higher number of medications.
CASE STUDY: Identifying the risk of dementia from anticholinergic Drugs. A team led by Professor Carol Coupland from the University of Nottingham wanted to see if they could use primary care data to better understand the impact of anticholinergics. School for Primary Care Research Project No. 265
PUBLICATION: Systematic review of prognostic factors for poor outcome in people living with dementia that can be determined from primary care medical records. Michelle Marshall et al writes for BMC Geriatrics volume 24. School for Primary Care Research (project reference 574)
Through continued collaboration with patients, carers, clinicians, researchers, and community organisations, the SPCR remains committed to improving dementia awareness, strengthening early diagnosis and support, and ensuring that research addresses the priorities of people affected by dementia.