Tackling Regional Variation in Dementia Diagnosis in England

Today (24th October 2023) the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia (APPG) has published a new report “Raising the Barriers: An Action Plan to Tackle Regional Variation in Dementia Diagnosis in England“.

The APPG accepted written and oral evidence, with a process that started back in March 2023. The Group held three oral evidence sessions in March, you can watch recordings of any sessions you missed here:

15 March – 1.30-2.30pm – Dementia Diagnosis in Rural Areas – watch the recording
22 March – 1.30-2.30pm – Dementia Diagnosis in Deprived Areas – watch the recording
29 March – 1.30-2.30pm – Making a Fairer Dementia Diagnosis System – watch the recording

Whether enabling access to medications, support or simply the relief of understanding what is causing the difficulties they are experiencing, 91% of people affected by dementia see clear benefits of getting a diagnosis.

However, there is significant variation in how quickly and accurately people are being diagnosed with dementia based on where they live in the country. There is a difference of over twenty percentage points in the dementia diagnosis rates between the highest and lowest performing Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) in England at present.

The APPG believes that the UK healthcare system must be inclusive of all who need a diagnosis of dementia, enabling access across every region of England to the advice, care, support and treatment that timely dementia diagnosis can bring. For far too many people, this is not the case.

Fortunately, the APPG has also heard about areas which have managed to inclusively diagnose those living with dementia in rural and deprived communities. This must be used to inform best practice and delivered at scale so that all who need it can receive a timely and accurate dementia diagnosis.

The APPG on Dementia recommends:

1. Each ICS must develop a comprehensive dementia strategy
2. All dementia diagnoses must include an accurate subtype
3. NHS England must continue to review and develop its methods for calculating dementia prevalence and diagnosis rates
4. A national Dementia Observatory should be created to collate and publish existing data collected across system levels
5. Government intelligence about variation in dementia diagnosis rates must be translated into action
6. A broader range of regional and local communication channels must be used to reach those who may be lost to the system
7. Government should ensure the primary care workforce is adequately planned and resourced to enable dementia diagnosis
8. High-quality post-diagnostic support services for dementia must be available more equitably across England