The Government has revealed its commitment to tackling rising dementia rates and urged researchers to apply for funding to study the disease.

New studies into dementia have been few and far between compared to other diseases such as cancer, and ministers have spoken of the need to boost its profile.

With the Government setting aside £1 billion for medical research, care services minister Paul Burstow has invited study proposals to the National Institute for Health Research to examine dementia care, cure, cause and prevention.

He said: "Dementia is one of the biggest challenges our society faces.

"As our population ages we need to better understand the disease if we are to counter its effects more successfully.

"Research is the key to developing new treatments, transforming care and ultimately to finding a cure for this devastating disease.

"The Department of Health`s research budget is nearly a billion this year - I want more of that funding to be supporting dementia research."

Dementia charities do not all believe there is a problem with the quality of applications, but acknowledge challenges with the number of researchers in the field and the type of research that is most needed.

Copyright ⌐ Press Association 2011

The UK`s dementia strategy is "still a long way from being a reality" after an MP`s report found cash intended for dementia services was being spent elsewhere.

Jeremy Wright, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Dementia, said specifically allocated funds should be audited to ensure they are being spent accordingly after a report by the group found that nearly a third of primary care trusts (PCTs) could not guarantee they had spent dementia funds on other services.

Freedom of Information requests were made to 152 PCTs in England to find out how dementia strategy funds were spent.

Out of the 70 trusts that replied, 31% said they could not account for how dementia funding was spent as it was indistinguishable from other funding.

The same number said they had managed to spend their allocation accordingly.

Mr Wright said: "While evidence does exist of action being taken by many PCTs, it would seem the national dream of the dementia strategy is still a long way from being a reality at local level.

"Better checks on how and where money is being spent are essential if we are to make the most of this golden opportunity to stem the tide of dementia and provide people with dementia with the care and support they need."

Care services minister Phil Hope warned: "With local flexibility comes responsibility and accountability - I will hold local areas to account if they are not investing in dementia services and do not have action plans in place by our deadline on 31 March."

Copyright ⌐ Press Association 2010