People with dementia and carers invited to join new advisory panel

People living with dementia and their carers are being invited to join a new advisory panel.

The panel will ensure that the Scottish Government is “fully considering” the impact of policy and funding decisions on those who experience them first hand.

Work will soon begin on setting up the panel and it is hoped it will be in place before the end of the year.

It comes as Dementia Awareness Week gets under way from Monday until June 5.

Kevin Stewart, Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, said: “The voice of experience is a crucial part of our policy making process, and making sure that it is factored in as early as possible in making important decisions is key to improving services across the country.

“Only someone living with dementia, their loved ones and carers fully know the complexities and nuances of dealing with it.

“We already have a very active lived experience voice in dementia support and this panel will help to amplify it. Dementia activists across the world use the motto ‘Nothing about us, without us’ and this group will put this into practice.”