Newcastle dementia medic Louise Robinson gets £1.5m

A Newcastle University researcher is to receive £1.5m to try and find ways to improve community care for dementia sufferers.

Prof Louise Robinson is to receive the boost in recognition for her being a "world leader" in aging research, health minister Anne Milton said.

Ms Robinson said current treatment and care for people with dementia was "sadly lacking".

She is one of eight professors in the UK to receive research funding.

Ms Robinson said: "National reports have found that treatment and care for people with dementia is sadly lacking at the moment.

"My project will look firstly at the ways community-based services can better work together to deal more effectively with what is becoming an increasingly common condition and secondly, develop training for GPs and other NHS staff to create a more skilled and caring workforce."