Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Alzheimer's Research UK report Tipping Point: The Future of Dementia, published in September, what steps they are taking to address the finding in that report that "38 per cent of over-65s in England estimated to be living with dementia never get a diagnosis", potentially rendering them ineligible for any treatment that is approved.

Diagnosis of dementia is vital to ensure that a person with dementia can access the advice, information, care and support that can help them to live well with the condition and remain independent for as long as possible.

In December 2022, the recovery of the dementia diagnosis rate to the national ambition of 66.7% was included in the National Health Service priorities and operational planning guidance as part of the refined mental health objectives for 2023/24. This reinforces the importance of dementia as a key priority for NHS England and provides a clear direction for integrated care boards to support delivery of timely diagnoses within systems.

NHS England continues to monitor the monthly dementia diagnosis rate and analyse trends at national, regional and integrated commissioning board level.

The estimated dementia diagnosis rate has been increasing throughout 2023 and in October reached 64.5%, the highest rate since the introduction of the primary care dementia publication in April 2022.