Dame Barbara Windsor has appeared in a new video as she prepares to deliver a petition on dementia care to Downing Street. 

The former EastEnders star, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014, has recorded a message thanking the 100,000 people who have signed her open letter calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to address the “devastating state” of dementia care. 

Barbara, who will visit 10 Downing Street on Monday, said in the short video: “Thank you all so much for showing your support in signing the letter to our new Prime Minister. It means so much. Let’s make this happen, and fix dementia care.” 

The open letter from the Alzheimer’s Society calls on the PM to improve dementia care through immediate investment in an NHS Dementia Fund, while addressing long-term reform for the social care system as a priority.

The letter reads: “Our experience is of a care system that too often doesn’t care – one that is completely inadequate, unfair, unsustainable and in dire need of more money. Across the country dementia care is difficult, an in some places even impossible, to access.

“Where support is available, it is of hugely variable quality and unaffordable for far too many. Too often, people with dementia end up hospitalised through lack of care, leading to enormous cost for the NHS and great personal cost to themselves.

“The collective political failure to agree to deliver care reform over decades has left us with a system in crisis. It is families that pick up the strain. Daughters, sons, partners and friends are stepping in and spending 1.3 billion hours a year providing care – many are at breaking point.

“Immediate investment in dementia care, through a Dementia Fund proposed by Alzheimer’s Society, while a long-term funding solution is sought. Decisive action to fix dementia care funding, without delay, must be an immediate priority for your Government.

“We stand with people affected by dementia in urging you to Fix Dementia Care.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, dementia is the biggest health and care challenge facing the UK, as it is predicted one million people in the UK will have dementia by 2021.

Barbara – best known as Queen Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell – publicly revealed news of her Alzheimer’s diagnosis last year, after four years of living with the disease privately.  

Barbara’s husband, Scott Mitchell, said he was “so proud” to be delivering the letter to Downing Street alongside her. 

“This overwhelming response from the people across the country really shows the public outrage at the distress caused by our broken social care system,” he added. 

Scott previously revealed Barbara has been left in need of constant care, as she can no longer be left alone. 

He told The Mirror in January: “She thanks me for ­looking after her. I say to her, ‘You don’t have to thank me’. Barbara can’t be left alone any more. That’s the reality of it. She has to have constant care.

“She can’t look after herself but then we still sit and have dinner and watch TV and have normal conversations.”