Data shows that people with suspected dementia wait an average of five months for an NHS diagnosis.
A national survey by the Royal College of Psychiatrists found the average waiting time after referral was 22 weeks last year, with some patients waiting almost 12 months.
In 2019, the average waiting time was around 13 weeks. According to experts, the figures mean that thousands of people are left without care, support or treatment.
The data also showed that waiting times in deprived neighbourhoods can be ‘significantly longer’ and that only 2.1 percent of people suspected of having dementia undergo specialist assessment.
Dr Mohan Bhat, chair of the Old Age Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: ‘It is worrying that waiting times for dementia diagnoses are getting longer, with many people facing a postcode lottery when trying to get help.
New data shows people with suspected dementia wait an average of five months for diagnosis, with some waiting nearly a year (file image)
Only 2.1 percent of people suspected of having dementia undergo specialist examination, data shows (archive image)
‘People who receive support early on can better manage the progression of their condition. However, doing this alone can be incredibly difficult and can lead to significant memory loss.’
He added that the government should also ensure that infrastructure is in place to enable early diagnosis. ‘This would help prepare services for the introduction of new disease-modifying treatments that may soon be approved for use.
“These proposed treatments require early diagnosis to be effective.”
So far, studies have shown that the drugs lecanemab and donanemab slow the early stages of Alzheimer’s, but they are not yet approved in the UK.
Jennifer Keen, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘Early, accurate diagnosis of dementia is crucial to accessing care, support and, where appropriate, symptomatic treatment. Long waits for diagnosis mean people are not getting this help.’
An NHS England spokesperson said: ‘This audit shows encouraging improvements in the number of patients undergoing assessment.
‘More needs to be done to ensure best practice, which is why all integrated care councils have been asked to review and improve waiting times for dementia diagnosis.’