Care England raises grave concerns over the announcement made by
removing dementia diagnosis rate targets from the
NHS Operational Planning Guidance for 2025-26. This decision has
not only muted the voices of around 982,000 [1] people living with
dementia, but also reflects a backward step in the progress of
dementia care.
Care England is therefore seeking to capture information from
those impacted to help influence the future dementia care
landscape and invites people living with Dementia, their family
and friends, and staff caring for people living with dementia to
answer a short questionnaire here.
The recent announcement is another devastating blow to the nearly
one million people living with dementia in the UK today, as well
as their families, carers and the staff that support them.
Dementia is Britian's biggest killer, and has been the leading
cause of death in Britain for the last 10 years[2]. When the Health and
Social Care Secretary outlines that “if everything is a
priority, then nothing is”, we understand why the health
secretary said this, but are at a loss to know why the UK's
biggest killer is not a priority for the NHS and the Government.
The government's commitment to shifting to prevention is unclear
how compatible it is with this recent announcement, without these
diagnosis targets, individuals won't have access to support which
will ultimately cause concerns further down the line – pushing
people living with Dementia to a breaking point where they do not
seek support until they are in crisis.
These targets were introduced to ensure that people living with
dementia were identified as soon as possible; to get them an
early diagnosis so they have access to the appropriate support
and care. Late diagnosis means individuals do not get access to
the high-quality care needed to help slow down the progression or
achieve the support they need to thrive in society. Having a
dementia diagnosis unlocks help and support which may not be
otherwise given without a diagnosis, especially those with young
onset dementia, which is an area which already struggles with
receiving a diagnosis, completely removing these targets will
make it much harder for individuals to receive a vital diagnosis.
Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England
commented:
"This decision is both unacceptable and offensive to
a large section of our society. The government must commit to a
clear, robust plan for dementia care. Removing these targets
eliminates accountability, allowing individuals to fall through
the cracks and be denied the care and support they need and are
entitled to. Right now, some people wait years for a dementia
diagnosis before they can access vital services. The abandonment
of these targets will only exacerbate an already escalating
crisis as our population ages. In 2023, we saw the government
scrap the Dementia Strategy, and now this—step by step, the
voices of those on the dementia pathway are being erased due to
government inaction.”
In response to this, Care England alongside sector experts, is
seeking to gather insights from individuals living with dementia,
their friends and family members, as well as their carers about
their experiences with diagnosis, care, and support. The data
collected aims to identify gaps and opportunities in the current
dementia care pathway and to charge government with the necessary
improvements to dementia care support services and is encouraging
those living with dementia, their friends and families to provide
this essential information to shine the light firmly in the faces
of those in government who appear to have forgotten them and the
value they add to our society.
The questionnaire looks at addressing the following points:
1. What support did a dementia diagnosis unlock?
2. How important is a dementia diagnosis to you/your
friend/relative or the person you care for?
3. How do you expect the removal of the dementia diagnosis rate
target will impact those seeking a dementia diagnosis?
To fill in the full survey, please follow the link here.
[1] How many people have dementia in
the UK? | Alzheimer's Society
[2] https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/dementia-UK-leading-cause-of-death
