City dementia research nurse 'one of UK's first'

One of the country's first nurses dedicated to dementia research has been appointed in Sheffield to help build on knowledge of the degenerative disease.

The £3m Alzheimer's Society investment will pay for up to 20 of the nurses across the UK over the next few years, the charity said, with one of the first appointments in South Yorkshire.

One target for the nurses is to boost the number and diversity of people taking part in clinical dementia research studies, according to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

New appointment Jo Howe said she was "honoured" to be part of the network of dementia research nurses.

The Alzheimer's Society described dementia as the "UK's biggest killer", with one in three people expected to develop the condition in their lifetime.

It said more research was "vital", with the new nurses seeking to recruit people "from as many different communities and backgrounds as we can" into clinical trials.

They will work within hospitals, GP practices and community services to support patients, the charity added.

"My main aim is to promote dementia research to both staff and the public and make it easier for people to get involved," Howe said.

"I aim to build strong connections between healthcare teams, researchers, and people affected by dementia, ensuring that research is guided by lived experiences and leads to better support and care."

According to the NHS trust, 95% of those participating in dementia trials over the last five years are white British/European, with a need to boost participation from all backgrounds.

At Sheffield And District African Caribbean Community Association (SADACCA), a community centre on Wicker, volunteer Webster Modest said it was important for all to feel "comfortable" to take part in clinical research.

"When you go to the hospital you see nurses from all nations," he said.

"If you're going to do something about dementia in the community you need people from all different backgrounds involved."

Former carer Valda, whose mother had dementia, said: "People from different ethnic minorities are not used to doing those kind of things and that's where the difficulty is.

"It's important to be involved but I think we need to be encouraged."

Laura Rooney, Alzheimer's Society's lead research nurse, said: "We're making real progress in finding effective dementia treatments and diagnostic tests - and clinical trials are the only way to know if they work.

"We urgently need to expand the number of clinical trials available, with our research nurses increasing visibility and access to opportunities so that more people living with dementia from all backgrounds can take part."

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