Care Services minister supports APPG report on early dementia diagnosis

Speaking at the launch of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia’s report, Care Services minister Paul Burstow agrees that regional variation is a crucial issue to overcome in order to achieve more effective diagnosis of dementia onset.

Burstow says: “While there is no cure for dementia, we know that early diagnosis and early intervention can help people take control of their condition and plan for the future.

“Some areas are doing fantastic work but there is still too much regional variation. That is why we are driving forward measures to improve the quality of memory services, including work to increase the number of accredited memory services and work to help local commissioners map the need in their area.

“We have set out our goal of making this country a world leader in dementia. There is much to do to move further and faster, but with the number of memory services increasing along with local investment we are heading in the right direction.”

Growing numbers of adults diagnosed with dementia already pose a threat to health services, with diagnosis rates expected to more than double from 800,000 to 1.7m by 2050 (according to Alzheimer’s Society estimates), due to the UK experiencing an ageing population boom.

The Department of Health has announced that a campaign to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of dementia is due to get under way by 2013.

The All Party Parliamentary Group’s report was explored yesterday by Rachel Baker here: www.carehome.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/1557405/big-variations-revealed-in-time-taken-to-receive-dementia-diagnosis

Image: Paul Burstow; courtesy of Liberal Democrats' photostream