UK | A new report into the current state of dementia diagnosis and care in England has urged immediate changes to support families and individuals.
Care England has launched its new landmark report, “The Current State of Dementia Diagnosis and Care in England”. The current dementia care system remains fragmented, underfunded, and difficult to navigate, leaving many individuals and families unsupported.
In response to these systemic challenges, Care England, in partnership with Dementia Forward and care providers, conducted a national survey in January 2025. This initiative aimed to capture the experiences of people living with dementia, their families, and care staff. The findings highlight significant gaps and inequalities in the dementia care pathway and inform a set of urgent policy recommendations.
The report found that nearly one in three wait over a year for a formal dementia diagnosis, and that waiting times for memory clinics can exceed two years. It also found that 72 percent of individuals received no signposting to support while waiting for an appointment with a memory clinic, and that only 28 percent of respondents found post-diagnosis support helpful.
Other key findings included that 82 percent of residential care workers have supported diagnostic processes, and that 70 percent face barriers accessing professional help for residents.
To help support individuals with dementia, their relatives and friends navigate the dementia care pathway, the report recommended a range of options for the sector to consider heading forward.
It stated that a national standardised diagnostic pathway must be established and adopted consistently across all regions, and that the government needs to reintroduce a national dementia diagnosis benchmark, not simply as a target, but as part of a Dementia Accountability Framework.
A nationally mandated standard of care should also be established across every stage of the dementia care pathway, including the pre-diagnosis period.
Provision and funding for national education as a minimum, for care providers to choose tailored workforce education specific to their needs. Every GP surgery should also appoint a Dementia Lead responsible for promoting dementia awareness and education amongst practice staff, supporting all those involved with information, planning and signposting to support services, and liaising with specialists, community teams and voluntary organisations.
The report also included a range of case studies looking at positive and negative experiences of the dementia care pathway. The case studies highlighted the current flaws of the current system, while offering a range of solutions to ensure all those on the dementia care pathway are well-supported through pre- and post-diagnosis, without waiting for a crisis before action occurs.
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