Writing a Policy From the Ground Up

Elizabeth’s Wish did not emerge fully formed. It has been built carefully, deliberately, and with a great deal of responsibility.

Writing a policy that calls for national change is daunting, especially when it stems from personal loss. From the outset, it was important that Elizabeth’s Wish would stand up to scrutiny, not just emotionally but professionally and politically.

The first step was understanding the landscape. Dementia care in hospitals is not unregulated; there are NICE guidelines, NHS frameworks, and local Trust strategies. The problem is not the absence of guidance, it is inconsistency, lack of enforcement, and limited accountability. Any credible policy had to acknowledge that reality.

The policy was therefore designed to strengthen existing systems, not criticise them blindly. Each section was grounded in:

• National guidance

• Regulatory findings

• Evidence on patient safety and outcomes

• Frontline clinical experience

• Lived family experience

One of the biggest challenges was balance. The policy needed to be detailed enough to be meaningful, but clear enough to be accessible to MPs, carers, and the public. It also needed to be realistic, recognising workforce pressures, financial constraints, and operational realities.

Elizabeth’s Wish is structured to move logically:

• Why change is needed

• Where the system currently fails

• What practical steps can be taken

• How accountability can be embedded

• What outcomes should improve

Writing it was not a quick process. Sections were rewritten, refined, and challenged repeatedly. Claims were checked. Language was softened where necessary and sharpened where it mattered. This was intentional.

Elizabeth’s Wish is not a protest document. It is a working proposal, designed to be taken seriously.