Public Service Events is pleased to present Dementia: a national crisis. A sell-out in Manchester, this conference now moves to Birmingham, featuring an array of expert speakers who will outline the challenges faced in combating this spiralling condition and how better outcomes can be achieved. This is an event for anyone involved with or affected by dementia who wishes to hear all the latest developments. Delegates will have the opportunity to listen, digest, debate and then reflect on the information that can make a difference to their professional or personal situations.

There is no doubt that the UK has an ever-increasing elderly population and it is estimated that the number of people aged over 85 will double in the next two decades. Advances in medical research, cutting-edge treatments and improvements in care have all played a major part in increasing life expectancy; however, the positive impact on physical health can be severely undermined by the progressive and incurable causes of dementia.

There are currently 800,000 people living with dementia in the UK, costing society over £23bn per annum, twice the cost of cancer. With a prediction of over a million people by 2021, there is no denying the extent of the problem and the need for committed focus in tackling the issues. The government has recognised that poor diagnosis along with low levels of understanding and awareness of dementia has contributed to a national crisis.