Peers recently debated a question raised by crossbencher Baroness Greengross on what steps they intend to take to increase the use of art or music-based interventions in the care of people living with dementia.
I said that for more dementia patients to gain access to music therapy through social prescribing, there must be more training on the value of music for carers and healthcare practitioners and greater support for musicians to train as music therapists, and music education must be a much more mainstream part of primary and secondary school education. What assurance can the Minister give that the necessary government cross-departmental action is being taken to deliver on this?
This was the answer I received to my question, from Lord Kamall the Health minister
The department itself is working closely with Music for Dementia and other organisations. Across government, we are looking at music, beyond just performance, to see how it can impact our lives and the role that it can have in levelling up and community cohesion, for example. Across government, I am sure that a number of departments are looking at this.
So some progress but not as firm on cross departmental action as many of us would like!
