Early identification of vascular cognitive impairment from a multimodal perspective: a combined diagnosis from targeted cognitive assessments, imaging biomarkers, and molecular fluid biomarkers to eco

Supporting service users to have greater agency over decisions relating to their own care has long been the aim of policy‐makers and service providers, both in the UK [, ], and internationally [, , , ]. Policies have sought to place individuals and their carers at the centre of healthcare decision‐making, recognising that active engagement can improve outcomes, satisfaction, and service delivery [, ]. Central to this agenda is the concept of empowerment, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a process through which people gain greater control over decisions and actions affecting their health []. Empowerment is not only about gaining more agency over individual care decisions, it extends to shaping broader aspects of service provision. This might include service users being involved as active contributors in the co‐design and evaluation of services, in the delivery of quality improvement projects, or by working as research partners alongside academics and clinicians. Such involvement and engagement is underpinned by the philosophy that people with lived experience of particular health conditions are best placed to advise on what support and services are likely to have the most meaningful impact on their lives [, ]. Service user empowerment reflects a paradigm shift away from professional‐led models of healthcare and towards more participatory, rights‐based approaches. Yet, while these ideals are well established in legislation and policy discourse, the practical implementation of service user empowerment remains variable, particularly in complex care contexts [, , ].