Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of dementia diagnosis times; and what steps his Department is taking to improve diagnosis rates.

We are committed to improving dementia diagnosis rates and recovering them to the national ambition for two thirds of people with dementia to have a formal diagnosis.

NHS England has funded an evidence-based improvement project to fund two trusts in each region, 14 sites in total, to pilot the Diagnosing Advanced Dementia Mandate tool to improve the diagnosis of dementia and the provision of support in care homes. All pilots completed at the end of May 2024, and it is anticipated that learning will be shared by end of the third quarter of 2024/25.

The Government’s Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme is investing in innovations in biomarkers, clinical trials, and implementation. Some of these innovations could support improved diagnosis in the future, if validated for clinical use.