Nearly half a million people in England have received a dementia diagnosis in the past year, new NHS figures show.
The latest data shows a staggering 498,221 people were diagnosed with the condition by the end of last year.
However, the diagnosis rate remains below pre-pandemic levels, with only 65.6 per cent of people estimated to have the condition diagnosed, falling short of the NHS’s 66.7 per cent target, which was last met in 2019.
The head of local services for London at Alzheimer’s Society, Marion Child, said: “Dementia is the biggest health and social care issue of our time, yet it isn’t the priority it should be amongst decision-makers.
“Without action, the individual and the economic devastation caused by dementia shows no sign of stopping.”
The NHS boasts one of the highest dementia diagnosis rates in the world, with high-income countries typically diagnosing around 20-50 per cent of cases.
The healthcare service credited this to specialist staff who proactively assess vulnerable people to catch the condition early.
A postcode lottery for diagnosis
However, Alzheimer’s Society UK estimated that at least half of those living with dementia are going undiagnosed because of where they live.
New NHS primary care data revealed a nearly 60 per cent difference in dementia diagnosis rates between the best and worst-performing areas.
In all, just over 498,221 people in England have a recorded dementia diagnosis, leaving more than 251,100 patients living with dementia without one.
London, the youngest region in England, has the fewest number of cases compared with its population, with only 0.8 per cent of residents living with the condition.
Regions with oldest populations, such as the North-West and West Midlands, report the highest numbers of dementia cases.
In Stoke-on-Trent, just over 93 per cent of over-65s are diagnosed with the condition.
New research shows that a third of people living with dementia are never properly assessed due to a lack of NHS services.
Alzheimer’s Society attributed this disparity to a range of structural issues including long-waiting times, and a lack of culturally appropriate services.
It described the system as totally inaccessible and designed for a predominantly white British population.
Local service manager Sania Rehman explained stigma around dementia remained a significant barrier to seeking help and receiving a diagnosis, particularly within the South Asian community.
She said: “It’s really important to understand not only a community’s languages, but its cultural context and nuance, and all of the non-verbal forms of communication that build trust and confidence when it comes to a diagnosis.
“There are so many people who know they have dementia but they are scared because of the negative connotations that word holds.”
In Punjabi, the third most spoken language in the UK, there isn’t even a word for dementia.
Because families have no way of explaining this condition to their loved ones, many first-generation immigrants are left without a diagnosis.
When they do eventually receive a diagnosis, a lack of culturally appropriate services often means healthcare staff overlook patients’ cultural beliefs and fail to see the power this word holds for many families.
Rehman said: “We come across amazing services across different areas, but they are just not accessible for everyone.”
For example, despite a very high diagnosis rate in Oldham, Greater Manchester, Alzheimer’s Society reports very few BAME individuals attending clinics.
Rochdale, which is home to a large South Asian community, however, has one of the highest diagnosis rates, with 78.8 per cent of over-65s diagnosed.
This success is partly due to Sahara, a dementia support service for the South Asian community, created by Alzheimer’s Society to challenge the negative stigma surrounding the condition.
Rehman said: “Everyone deserves appropriate care when they face this immense challenge.
“People often give up really quickly when they hear the word dementia, but it doesn’t have to be the end.
“Being able to communicate with patients in their first language is crucial, especially for those with dementia.”
Britain’s biggest killer: An overcrowded NHS
Dementia, an umbrella term for a set of symptoms caused by damage to brain cells, including memory loss, language difficulties, and behavioural changes, remains the leading cause of death in Britain.
The social care system has struggled to meet demand, as shown by the report published by The Royal College of Nurses (RCN) earlier this month, with successive governments failing to implement reforms.
The RCN said evidence from over 5,000 members across the UK this winter revealed car parks, corridors and bathrooms being turned into makeshift areas for patients.
The report included more than 400 pages of testimony from members about the problems they had been seeing.
One example included a frail, incontinent dementia patient being changed next to a vending machine in a corridor.
Other reports highlighted people suffering cardiac arrests in corridors blocked by patients on trolleys, delaying life-saving CPR.
Of those diagnosed with dementia, around 354,000 people aged 65 or older also suffer from at least one other serious health condition, such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Health secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged these conditions are unacceptable but placed the blame for the failing system on the previous government.
Alzheimer’s Society said the findings should serve as a wake-up call for Labour to improve dementia care.
RCN general secretary, Professor Nicola Ranger said: “Patients are being stripped of their dignity and lives put at risk.”
An ageing population
More than 944,000 people in the UK are estimated to have dementia, but if trends continue, this number could reach 1.4 million by 2040, according to Alzheimer’s Society.
One in five of the adult population will also be living with a major illness, research carried out by The Health Foundation suggests, placing a considerably larger burden on the NHS and social care system.
Although most people diagnosed with dementia are over the age of 65, nearly 7% of cases last year involved young-onset dementia, meaning the individuals were diagnosed before their 65th birthday.
From the age of 90 upwards, women are disproportionately affected by dementia, where they outnumber men nearly three to one
Whilst there is currently no cure for dementia, several new drugs have shown promise in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia.
Trials show that donanedab and lecanemab can slow cognitive decline, but they have not yet been approved for NHS use.
Experts say the drugs could become widely available by 2040, if NHS diagnostic services improve.
Charity Director at Age UK, Caroline Abrams said: “With a more proactive and preventative NHS and a social care system that’s fit for purpose, far fewer older people would be forced to rely on the emergency services that are currently under such stress around the country.”
What does this mean for the economy?
Alzheimer’s Society is urging the UK government to prioritise dementia, particularly when it comes to diagnosis.
Currently, less than 2 per cent of healthcare costs are spent on diagnosis, while families bear over 60 per cent of the finical burden.
While dementia diagnosis rates have fallen over the last month, at 65.6 per cent, the national clinical director for dementia has said the NHS is working hard to meet its goal of diagnosing 66.7 percent of the total number of people living with the condition.
Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, has pledged to put Britain at the forefront of transforming dementia treatment, supporting research and ensuring new treatments are rolled out safely and efficiently.
Kinnock said: “This government is committed to getting the NHS back on its feet and creating a society where every person with dementia received high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life.”
“We will put Britain at the forefront of transforming treatment for dementia, backing research into the disease and ensuring that new clinically and cost-effective treatments are rolled out in a safe and timely way.”
Image credit: Rad Cyrus, Unsplash
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