Boris Johnson doubles dementia funding and calls 'Babs' Army' to join clinical trials

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced he is doubling dementia research funding to £160m a year by 2024 and is calling for volunteers, he nicknames “Babs’ Army”, to sign up for clinical trials into dementia therapies.

On one of his last days in office, Mr Johnson announced the doubling of dementia funding and a new taskforce to speed up dementia research in memory of TV and film actress Dame Barbara Windsor who died of Alzheimer's, aged 83, in a London care home.

PM ‘delighted’ to honour a ‘British hero’

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said: “Dame Barbara Windsor was a British hero. I had the pleasure of meeting her both on the set of EastEnders as Peggy Mitchell, and at Downing Street as we discussed the injustices faced by dementia sufferers.

“I am delighted that we can now honour Dame Barbara in such a fitting way, launching a new national dementia mission in her name.

“Working with her husband Scott, and on behalf of everyone who is living with dementia or has a loved one affected by this devastating condition, I am doubling research funding and calling for volunteers to join Babs’ Army."

Mr Johnson issued his call for volunteers with or without a family history of dementia, to sign up for clinical trials for preventative therapies. His announcement came after he met Dame Barbara’s husband Scott Mitchell at Downing Street earlier this month.

After discussing the impact of dementia on Dame Barbara and the slow process of finding treatments and cures, Mr Johnson announced the ‘Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission’ financed by £95m to boost the number of clinical trials and dementia research projects.

With Boris Johnson's time in office ending and the UK's new Prime Minister being announced on 5 September, some believe Mr Johnson's announcement in honour of Dame Windsor is an attempt to boost his own legacy before leaving office. Mr Johnson added: “We can work together to beat this disease, and honour an exceptional woman who campaigned tirelessly for change. More clinical trials are needed but these are often overly time consuming, with resources wasted on trying to find volunteers.”

Husband: ‘Barbara would be so proud’

Scott Mitchell, Dame Barbara’s husband, said: “I’m so pleased that Boris had the conviction to do this reform".

Mr Mitchell said he was "honoured" that more money had been committed "in Barbara’s name to make the necessary research breakthroughs to find a cure for dementia."

Dame Barbara Windsor, who first appeared on stage at the age of 13, was made an MBE in 2000 and a dame in 2015 for services to drama. She appeared in nine films in the Carry On series. For the film 'Sparrows Can't Sing', she was nominated for a Bafta. Her husband noticed she was forgetting her lines as early as 2006 but she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2014.

When Mr Mitchell left Dame Barbara at the care home in 2020, he said at the time: "By the time I got home and went to bed, I just felt desperately sad."

Referring to Mr Johnson's promise to double dementia funding, Mr Mitchell said: “Barbara would be so proud that she has had this legacy which will hopefully mean that families in the future won’t have to go through the same heart-breaking experience that she and I had to endure. I can’t stop thinking about her looking down with pride.”

Up to 40 per cent of dementia cases are potentially preventable but causes are still not understood. Dementia can affect the brain years before people show any symptoms, which means treatments need to be tested on people far earlier.

A new taskforce, including academia and families living with dementia, will work to reduce the cost of clinical trials for dementia while speeding up delivery. The taskforce will build on methods pioneered during Covid-19 vaccine clinical trials. Researchers will look for signs of risk factors to understand how they might be able to slow or prevent the disease in the future.

10-year dementia plan is 'chance for the next Prime Minister'

In 2019, Dame Barbara Windsor and her husband became the faces of Dementia Revolution – a joint campaign between Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society – as Charity of the Year for the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon. The year-long campaign raised £4m.

Hilary Evans, chief executive at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We’re delighted the government has recommitted to doubling dementia research funding, and that our call for a Dementia Medicines Taskforce to speed up the development of new treatments has been heard.

“We are incredibly grateful to our tireless supporters who have helped keep dementia on the political agenda over the past three years. Over 50,000 people joined us in contacting their MPs, signing petitions, and even writing personal letters to the Prime Minister himself.”

One million people are predicted to be living with dementia by 2025.

Hilary Evans added: “The upcoming 10-year dementia plan is a chance for the next Prime Minister to make sure this funding is met with ambitious action and we look forward to working with the government to turn it into a reality.”

People can register their interest in becoming a volunteer in clinical trials by visiting www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk