A New Dementia Strategy for Scotland: Literature Review

Scotland was one of the first countries to recognise the need for action on dementia, even before it became a global health priority. In 2010, the first Scottish National Dementia Strategy was launched. It focused on improving care pathways, strengthening integrated approaches, and increasing diagnosis levels. This strategy was unique in adopting a rights-based approach, drawing on the Charter of Rights for People with Dementia and their Carers in Scotland.

In 2013, a second National Dementia Strategy was introduced, which included a guarantee of one year of support from a named practitioner for everyone in Scotland who receives a dementia diagnosis. This was the first such guarantee in the world, and it was heavily influenced by the rights-based approach of the first strategy. The second strategy also emphasised people's rights to maintain community connections and social support, be recognized as active citizens, and live in dementia-friendly communities.

The third National Dementia Strategy was launched in 2017, and continued to prioritise person-centred approaches to support and care, with recognition of the provision needs across a range of settings, including hospital and community. In the beginning of 2023, while discussions on a new National Dementia Strategy are ongoing within the Scottish Government, the University of Stirling were commissioned to conduct a review on current dementia research, with the aim to inform the development of the new strategy.

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