The Tiverton and Minehead Dementia Report

This report from the Office of Rachel Gilmour MP examines dementia diagnosis, care, and support across Tiverton and Minehead. Current estimates from the Alzheimer’s Society suggest that nearly 2,000 people in the constituency are living with dementia, while fewer than 1,000 have received an NHS diagnosis. This significant diagnosis gap highlights a mismatch between the scale of need and the support currently being accessed.

Given the constituency’s ageing population and the additional challenges presented by its rural geography, this report seeks to provide an accurate assessment of existing dementia services and identify opportunities for improvement.

Over a four-week research project, the Office of Rachel Gilmour MP engaged with care providers, community organisations, and charities supporting people living with dementia. The findings reveal three key challenges: a substantial dementia diagnosis gap; high-quality community-based support that is often difficult to access due to geographic isolation; and growing pressure on both paid and unpaid carers, many of whom have limited opportunities for respite or additional support.

In response, the report recommends establishing local dementia hubs through collaboration between councils and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), supported by a network of dementia care navigators to help individuals and families access services and support following diagnosis. It also calls for expanded respite provision for carers alongside meaningful activities for people living with dementia, and an increase in the number of Admiral Nurses to provide specialist guidance and support.

While no single intervention will address every challenge, these recommendations offer practical and achievable steps towards a more coordinated, accessible, and compassionate dementia support system for residents of Tiverton and Minehead.

You can read the report, in full, below.