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As stated in Everyone’s Story: A New Dementia Strategy for Scotland , dementia affects an estimated 90,000 people in Scotland, an estimated 3,000 of whom are under 65. However, every person with dementia is unique. Dementia affects people in lots of different ways, depending on the type of dementia they have as well as personal factors such as their social situation.

These figures are based on predictive modelling which we are in the process of updating to ensure we have an accurate picture on the numbers of people living with dementia in Scotland.

Our new strategy committed us to ensure we have robust data on our dementia communities, and this has come through as an important area to progress in our initial delivery work. We are committed to working with partners to identify ways to address this in our initial 2-year Delivery Plan for our Strategy.

In 2020-21, the latest year for which we have data, we estimate that there were 6,569 people diagnosed with dementia and referred for dementia post-diagnostic support. This is a 20% reduction on the 8,137 diagnosed in 2019-20, which is likely to be due to the effects of measures relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using our current models for estimating the number of people living with dementia, 33.7% of those people newly diagnosed with dementia in 2020-21 were referred for post-diagnostic support, compared to 42.9% in 2019-20. The effects of measures relating to the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to have contributed to this reduction.

Of those referred in 2020-21 for post-diagnostic support, 81.0% received a minimum of one year’s support, which is similar to the proportion in 2019-20 (81.1%).

In Everyone’s Story: A New Dementia Strategy for Scotland , we have identified peoples experiences and access to post-diagnostic support as a critical point of difference we need to make during the strategy’s lifetime. This includes access for a minimum of 12 months, irrespective of where they live or how old they are. We have also committed moving closer to a person-centred system of support that is consistent and equitable throughout Scotland, but allows for flexibility to suit the individual and locally available resources (including within our communities).

These actions will build on current efforts to increase access. This includes investment of over £6m in 2021-22 and 2022-23 to boost uptake across Scotland. We have also provided £1m to Age Scotland over 2 years to provide complementary community-based post-diagnostic support aimed at keeping people active and connected in their local communities.

To estimate diagnosis rates in Scotland we are developing an approach that compiles a dataset of CHI numbers of people with a dementia diagnosis from multiple health and social data sources. Based on this approach, and using our current model for estimating the number of people living with dementia (known as Eurocode), we estimate that 56% of this group received a diagnosis in 2020-21 (the latest year for which we have data).

It should be noted that the rest of the UK uses a different system for estimating the number of people living with dementia (known as CFAS II). For comparative purposes, applying this in Scotland would suggest 79% of people living with dementia are receiving a diagnosis.

The issue of dementia diagnosis rates is highlighted in Everyone’s Story: A New Dementia Strategy for Scotland , including around the need for a greater range of settings in which to access it. We recognise there is more work to be done to improve timely, accessible access to a dementia diagnosis, and this will be reflected in the priorities for our initial 2-year Delivery Plan which is in development. This includes developing actions through a Delivery Subgroup focused on extending the reach of diagnsotic and post-diagnostic support, made up of people living with dementia, care partners and stakeholders.

Our previous three dementia strategies consistently maintained a focus on improving the quality of care for people living with dementia and their families through work on diagnosis, including: post-diagnostic support; care co-ordination during the middle stage of dementia; end of life and palliative care; workforce development and capability; data and information; and research into better understanding of the condition. Commitments within each of these strategies and our Covid-19 Action Plan were subject to independent evaluations.

The findings of these evaluations informed Everyone’s Story: A New Dementia Strategy for Scotland , including ‘The Difference We Need to Make’, which clearly sets out our ambitions by which we will hold ourselves accountable to delivering on through the lifetime of this new strategy.

We also heard a huge range of experiences and perspectives on people’s experiences of care and support via our National Conversation. This has also given us a large evidence base on the impact of previous strategies on people’s lives and experience.

I moved a motion for Scottish Parliament to reconsider the United Nations Convention on the Rights Of the Child (Incorporation)(Scotland) Bill on 14 September 2023, which was passed unanimously by Parliament. The amendments to the Bill were formally lodged with Parliament on 18 September and the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee is currently taking evidence on the amendments. It is for Parliament to set the date for the Reconsideration debate which it is hoped will be before the end of the year.

The priorities for any future Women’s Health Plan are not yet determined. Future aims and priorities will be developed in collaboration with women and girls, including our lived experience stakeholder group, clinical experts and relevant stakeholders alongside the most up-to-date evidence base.

Police Scotland do not have the legal powers to directly issue antisocial behaviour orders. Local authorities and registered social landlords, in consultation with the police, can apply to the sheriff court for an order where there is evidence that a person (aged at least 12 years) has behaved in an antisocial manner and that an order is necessary for the protection of persons from further antisocial behaviour. There is also the power for a court to make an ASBO on conviction in the criminal court as part of a sentence.

The Scottish Government is working closely with NHS Ayrshire and Arran to increase capacity and reduce cancellations. A number of improvement actions to enable the prioritisation of resources to areas where the capacity gap has the greatest impact are already underway, including:

• A bottom-up review of operating capacity within surgical teams;
• Increase resilience of the planned care service through protection of planned care beds to ensure that operations are not cancelled as a result of bed capacity; and
• Introduction of new enhanced roles across the wider multi-disciplinary teams to increase capacity and improve sustainability, such as surgical care practitioners, anaesthesia associates and theatre assistant practitioners.

These actions will help NHS Ayrshire and Arran deliver its plans to increase capacity which include targeted recruitment, extended workforce roles and new models of service delivery.

Over the last three years (2021-24), £51 million has been provided through the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults. The following amounts have been provided in each year:

• 2021-22 (Year 1) – £21 million.
• 2022-23 (Year 2) – £15 million.
• 2023-24 (Year 3) – £15 million.

This is in addition to the £45 million allocated to local authorities since 2021 to provide community-based mental health and wellbeing support for children, young people and their families.

Future funding will be subject to the annual budget process and approval by the Scottish Parliament.