The Whole Systems Partnership (WSP) has worked with a number of Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts over recent years to review strategy in the area of older peoplesmental health services. Whilst the policy direction set out in the National Dementia Strategy has probably been largely anticipated, what has often proved elusive is a clear systemsapproach to understanding the impact of these policies over time. WSP has pioneered the development of simple and accessible models that explore and provideinsight to support the implementation of policy. Recent work in modelling the impact of two key policy areas in dementia care haveprovided just such insight, and chime well with the direction now set out in the National Dementia Strategy.