Dementia Risk Project

Improving Conversations about Dementia Risk

Dementia risk is not always discussed during NHS Health Checks, but it should be. Many of the factors that influence brain health can be changed, and earlier conversations can help people take positive action.

National research continues to highlight a gap in awareness. People want to understand their risk, but often don’t receive the information or support they need at the right time.

This project set out to change that, supporting healthcare professionals to feel confident having meaningful conversations about dementia risk as part of routine care.

What we set out to do

We aimed to make dementia risk conversations a natural part of NHS Health Checks across Cheshire East by:

• Building confidence and knowledge among healthcare professionals
• Focusing on modifiable risk factors
• Providing practical tools and accessible resources
• Supporting consistent, person-centred conversations

What we did

We worked in partnership with GP practices and local health organisations to understand current practice and co-design solutions.

This included:

• Engaging 35 GP practices through surveys and workshops
• Delivering bespoke dementia training to staff across 15 practices
• Creating accessible resources, including E-Paige content and updated patient leaflets
• Listening to frontline experiences to shape practical, realistic approaches

What we found

Before the project:

• Only 10% of staff routinely discussed dementia risk
• Many reported limited confidence, training and resources
• Time pressures and a lack of system prompts were key barriers

Staff told us they wanted:

• More knowledge about dementia and risk factors
• Support with communication and behaviour change conversations
• Clear resources to share with patients

What changed

Following the project, we saw a clear shift in both confidence and practice:

• 100% of staff felt confident discussing dementia risk
• Conversations increased from 10% to 50%
• More staff are now actively signposting to trusted resources
• Learning is being shared across GP practices

These changes mean more patients are now receiving the information and support they need to take control of their brain health.

What happens next

This project is an important step towards embedding dementia prevention into everyday care.

Next steps include:

• Embedding prompts within clinical systems
• Supporting the inclusion of dementia risk in future NHS Health Check delivery
• Circulating the report to all GP Practices
• Resources available for professional and public health access on Cheshire EPAIGE
• EOLP to lead Cheshire East Place Dementia 100 Self-Assessment, to include system wide understanding of how we are “Preventing well”.

Download the full report

This summary highlights the project’s key outcomes.

Download the full report to explore the findings, insights and future recommendations in more detail.