Care England today publishes “The Current State of Dementia Diagnosis & Care in England” report, a comprehensive review of how dementia is diagnosed and managed across the nation.
The report reveals ongoing gaps in diagnosis, significant regional disparities, and serious challenges in coordination of care. The report underscores the urgent need for a unified national strategy, enhanced dementia-specific workforce training, and sufficient sustainable funding to improve outcomes for those affected and support their relatives and carers.
The report identifies that the average waiting time from referral to dementia diagnosis has increased to 17.7 weeks, up from 13 weeks in 2019, with current waiting times ranging anywhere from 0 to 104 weeks across the country. In comparison, the range in 2019 was between 3 and 34 weeks.
This worsening trajectory, compounded by an ageing population and the projected rise in those needing care and support, points toward a government failure to deliver timely and effective strategies to address the growing demand for dementia services. As a result, inequities in access to diagnosis and care are deepening across regions, something unlikely to be resolved unless the necessary funding and support is provided by the government.
Commenting on the launch, Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England commented:
“People living with dementia, and the professionals who care for them, are navigating a system that is too often reactive, underfunded, and disjointed. This report is a call to redesign that system from the ground up, which needs national leadership, long-term investment, and a commitment to treating dementia care as a priority, not an afterthought”
Developed with leaders across the sector, this report calls for:
- A national standardised diagnostic pathway with streamlined processes.
- The reintroduction of a national dementia diagnosis benchmark as part of a Dementia Accountability Framework.
- A nationally mandated standard of care must be established across every stage of the dementia care pathway.
- Provision and funding for national education as a minimum, for care providers to choose tailored workforce education specific to their needs.
Jill Quinn MBE, CEO of Dementia Forward commented:
“Without a national dementia strategy and a uniformed approach, not only do we create dangerous gaps in the support and care, but we also fail to share good practice and ultimately improve lives. Our hope is that we can work together to create a system that holds people, avoids crisis and improves lives.”
Thessa Verwolf, Relationship Centred Care Coordinator at Nightingale Hammerson commented:
“Early and accurate diagnosis of dementia is a necessity, but it is also the foundation for dignity, planning, and compassionate care. At Nightingale Hammerson, we see the profound difference it makes when individuals and families understand what they’re facing from the start. To truly deliver the best support for people living with dementia, we need a strong, growing evidence base that informs both policy and practice”
Professor Martin Green OBE concluded:
“Behind every statistic is a person whose journey with dementia could have been better if there were earlier diagnosis and more coordinated care. We need leadership, investment, and urgency – as a society, we owe it to the nearly one million people living with dementia to build a system that acts before crisis, supports every stage of the journey, and delivers dignity, not disparity.”
