100,000 people in the East could be negatively affected by removal of dementia as NHS priority

There are fears removing dementia as a priority for the NHS will impact the quality of life for thousands of people across the East of England.

The Alzheimer's Society says the move is a backwards step and will prevent getting to the national target of diagnosing two thirds of people with the disease this year.

It comes after NHS England published its operational planning guidance for 2025/26, which included the following targets:

1. To continue to reduce elective care waiting times, with 65 per cent of patients waiting less than 18 weeks.
2. To improve ambulance response and A&E waiting times, with a minimum of 78 per cent of patients seen within four hours.
3. To improve patients’ access to general practice (GP) and urgent dental care access, including 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments.
4. To accelerate patient flow in mental health crisis and outpatient care pathways.

However, The Alzheimer's Society says there is no mention of improving the rate of diagnosis for those with dementia.

This previously appeared on the operational planning guidance for last year - stating a target was to "Improve the quality of life, the effectiveness of treatment, and care for people with dementia by increasing the dementia diagnosis rate to 66.7% by March 2025."

"Dementia is a devastating illness"

We spoke to Tim Baverstock, the charity's Eastern representative.

He tells us they were shocked when they saw dementia diagnosis had been removed, and warns this decision will lead to fewer people being diagnosed and receiving the help they need: "Nationally there at least 250,000 people who are undiagnosed with dementia - that's why we felt its inclusion (in the planning guidance) was so important.

"We worry that what it will mean is that locally people will no longer prioritise diagnosis of dementia if it isn't in the plans... and fewer people will get diagnosed.

"Dementia in particular is a devastating illness as we know that that can get worse as time goes on.

"But the earlier you can reach out, the more hope and more support there is for you.

"So there are treatments that are available that can help you early on in the disease, which is another reason why we want diagnosis to be as early as possible."

Tim also pointed out that the national target hasn't been met: “This glaring omission is unacceptable and sends the message that dementia doesn’t matter.

"It highlights a staggering lack of focus on a devastating condition that affects nearly a million people in the UK and contradicts the UK Government’s stated ambition to improve diagnosis rates.

"To not continue to prioritise it when we haven't reached the target in the first place will impact greatly on people. What that means for people is if they do not have a diagnosis, they're unable to seek the right support and the right treatment that they need.

"It is often a gateway for families to be able to plan for the future as well. And of course, the dignity of knowing what it is that is wrong with you and and what it is that's been troubling you."

"This is a backwards step"

Fiona Carragher, Chief Policy and Research Officer at Alzheimer’s Society also shared her thoughts with us.

“We know that early diagnosis can help reduce some of the huge costs and pressure dementia places on the NHS. "The inclusion of the 66.7% national dementia diagnosis target in the 2024/25 guidance at least showed NHS England was committed to improving diagnosis and providing vital local accountability.

"The same now cannot be said for the year to come. This is a backwards step which will alarm all those affected by dementia.

“The removal of a dementia diagnosis target makes it even more important that the forthcoming 10-Year Plan for Health delivers for dementia.

"We’re now calling on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, to set ambitious and achievable new diagnosis rate targets in the 10-Year Plan, and for long-term investment in the tools and workforce needed to get everyone the diagnosis they deserve.”

NHS Response

Wes Streeting, Health and Social Care Secretary, said: “If everything is a priority, then nothing is. I want to empower NHS leaders to deliver the innovation and reform required to fix the NHS, rather than overload them with targets which have failed to deliver better outcomes for patients.

“This new approach will see the NHS focus on what matters most to patients – cutting waiting lists, getting seen promptly at A&E, and being able to get a GP appointment.

“We’ve provided significant extra investment and given clear directions to trusts on what we expect, so there is no excuse for failure. We will reward high performance and drive up standards as we deliver on our Plan for Change and build a health service fit for the future.”

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