Vikki Slade MP Marks Dementia Action Week With Visit to Groundbreaking Research Labs
To mark Dementia Action Week, Vikki Slade MP has visited the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) at King’s College London, witnessing first-hand the cutting-edge research shaping the future of dementia care and prevention.
The visit reflects the MP’s ongoing commitment to improving Dementia and Alzheimer's care, having recently hosted cross-party roundtables to discuss how decision makers can better improve support for people with Dementia and their carers.
Accompanied by Alison Bennett MP Lib Dem spokesperson for Care, discussions at the UK DRI centred on the urgent need for sustained funding to support a shift towards a prevention-first model of neurological care.
During the visit, the MPs were given a tour of the laboratories, where researchers are studying neurodegenerative conditions at a cellular level. The work demonstrated how diseases such as dementia develop in the brain, highlighting areas where breakthroughs in early diagnosis, treatment, and disease progression are increasingly within reach
Reflecting on their visit, Vikki Slade MP and Alison Bennett MP said:
“As we mark dementia action week, we need to build ways to diagnose, treat and care for people with dementia and neurodegenerative conditions. It was inspiring to visit the UK Dementia Research Institute at King’s and see the incredible research that is transforming our understanding of these conditions, paving the way for prevention-first models of care.
It was particularly fascinating to see the research at cellular level which is helping us to understand how things go wrong in the brain but also reiterates the importance of long-term funding for scientific research as well as funding for those conditions where a cure is imminent
By supporting this groundbreaking research, we are investing in a future of healthy brain ageing, building toward therapies that slow or prevent onset and ensuring that families living with dementia have a better chance at help early on with a tailored more personal experience of care.“
The visit builds on Ms Slade’s ongoing work in the constituency to create a register for care workers, increase Dementia training and strengthen health services in local communities.
Prof Jernej Ule, Centre Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute at King's said:
“We were delighted to welcome Vikki Slade and Alison Bennett to the UK Dementia Research Institute at King’s to mark Dementia Action Week. Their visit highlighted the importance of collaborative research and innovation in transforming the outlook for people with dementia.
By studying the underlying biological processes and harnessing advances in data science we are building toward a future where we can predict risk, prevent onset and personalise care for everyone affected by dementia.”