Dementia patients are being neglected by the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and treated as "second-class citizens," according to Michelle Dyson, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society. Dyson stated that many individuals diagnosed with the condition are sent home with minimal support, a situation she contrasts sharply with the care typically provided for diseases like cancer.
Dyson, who previously held a senior position within the Department of Health and Social Care, expressed concern that dementia is not being addressed with the same urgency as other major diseases, despite affecting a million people in the UK. She described the NHS as unprepared for the upcoming availability of new Alzheimer's drugs, likening the situation to "watching a car crash in slow motion."
"Imagine being told you have a disease that will rob you of your memory, your independence and your ability to recognise the people you love – and then being sent home with a leaflet," Dyson said. "That would be unthinkable for cancer. Yet for dementia, it happens all the time. A leaflet is not care or treatment. It doesn't help a frightened husband, wife or daughter when the person they love starts to disappear in front of them."
She highlighted that science indicates dementia can be prevented in some cases, diagnosed, and treated. Up to 45% of dementia cases are preventable, linked to 14 modifiable risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, high blood pressure, and hearing loss. However, Dyson noted a lack of public health campaigns to inform the public about risk reduction. Furthermore, she pointed out that only 5% of British patients have access to biomarker testing, compared to 30% in Italy and 20% in Spain.
"The NHS is meant to be there for everyone who needs it but people with dementia are being cast aside and left to fend for themselves," Dyson stated. "People with dementia are not asking for special treatment. They are asking to be taken as seriously – and with the same urgency and compassion – that we rightly expect for cancer and heart disease."
Data from a recent audit of memory assessment services revealed that waiting times for dementia diagnoses are increasing. Patients waited an average of 137 days from referral to diagnosis last year, an increase from two years prior. While nearly half of dementia clinics offer waits of 18 weeks or less, one in eight patients experience delays exceeding a year.
Dyson drew parallels between the current state of dementia care and the approach to cancer care decades ago, calling for a "national mission" with similar targets, urgency, and a commitment to avoiding late diagnosis and poor care. She argued that if cancer patients faced similar diagnostic delays and minimal post-discharge support, it would provoke widespread outrage, which she believes people with dementia also deserve.
"The Government does not take dementia seriously at all. The next Prime Minister and Health Secretary must make dementia a national priority from day one," Dyson urged. "If ministers can find the will to transform cancer care, they can find the will to transform dementia care."
The Department of Health acknowledged the devastating impact of dementia, stating that the government wants all affected individuals to receive "high-quality, personalised support."