Developments in dementia treatments
This briefing focuses on two disease-modifying dementia drugs that are currently being appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): lecanemab and donanemab

On Thursday 30 June MPs will take part in a Westminster Hall debate on NHS England's Action Plan on Hearing Loss and the adult hearing service commissioning framework. This debate will be opened by Jim Fitzpatrick MP. This House of Commons Library debate pack includes recent press articles, Parliamentary material and links to further reading on audiology services.
NHS England's Action Plan on Hearing Loss and the adult hearing service commissioning framework (156 KB , PDF)
Hearing loss affects over 10 million adults and 45,000 children in the UK. This equates to 1 in 6 of the population. By 2031, it is estimated that 14.5 million people in the UK, approximately 1 in 5 of the population, will have a hearing loss.[1] The most common form of hearing loss is age-related, and the prevalence of deafness approximately doubles with every decade of life.[2]
The NHS Choices website provides some general information on the treatment of hearing loss.
In England local clinical commissioning groups (CCG) are responsible for commissioning the majority of audiology services (audiology is a specialism encompassing tinnitus and balance as well as hearing).
NHS England’s Action Plan on Hearing Loss, published in March 2015, sets out a case for action “to tackle the rising prevalence and personal, social and economic costs of uncorrected hearing loss and the variation in access and quality of services experienced by people with hearing loss.” It proposes addressing this by promoting prevention of hearing loss and improving both the commissioning and integration of services.
The Action Plan sets out five key objectives:
In 2015 Action on Hearing Loss published a report, Hearing Matters, setting out actions the Government and NHS should take to improve the lives of people with hearing loss (this followed a report of the same name released in 2011). There have been a number of recent PQs about NHS audiology services and the communication needs of the hearing impaired, and these are set out later in this pack.
[1] Action on Hearing Loss, Hearing Matters, 2015
[2] The Chief Medical Officer’s Report 2012
NHS England's Action Plan on Hearing Loss and the adult hearing service commissioning framework (156 KB , PDF)
This briefing focuses on two disease-modifying dementia drugs that are currently being appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): lecanemab and donanemab
What is the National Disability Strategy (NDS), how was it received, what were the legal issues and what progress has been made?
A debate on children's health is scheduled to take place in the House of Commons Chamber on Thursday 10 July 2025. The subject for the debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee, and the debate will be led by Dr Simon Opher MP.