Dementia sufferers 'let down'
Dementia affects one in three elderly people
Wednesday, 04, Jul 2007 08:23
Britain's health services are neglecting dementia, the National Audit Office (NAO) has said.
An NAO report published today finds "significant gaps" across the NHS in specialist skills and services, both in the community and in care homes, for dealing with the problem.
It says Britain's rapidly ageing population will lead to increased numbers of sufferers in the future and compares dementia today to cancer in the 1950s, when there was little confidence among doctors or patients in their effectiveness of the few available treatments.
NAO chief Sir John Bourn said: "For too long dementia has not been treated as a high priority. Today's report shines a light on how significant an issue dementia is and how much scope there is to improve the way in which people who suffer from dementia are treated.
"Dementia can no longer be set aside. The issues raised in this report need to be addressed as a matter of urgency."
At present at least 560,000 people suffer from dementia in England and this number is expected to rise by over 30 per cent during the next 15 years. It currently costs the NHS and social care around £3.3 billion every year.
Today's NAO report calls on the government to provide earlier diagnosis and better support for dementia sufferers. Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society (AS), believes these are "absolutely crucial" for the future.
"We must develop health and social care services that can respond to the challenge of dementia," he said.
"A lot of money is being spent on inadequate dementia care - we need to plan now to make better use of resources."
Responding to the report, health minister Ivan Lewis pointed out that NHS funding for dementia has increased to a record £92 billion since 1997.
But he acknowledged that "a lot more needs to be done" and said he would work with the AS and the NAO to address the report's findings.
"We have a duty to strengthen mental health services so they ensure older people and their families are treated at all times with dignity and respect," he said.
"The NHS and local government must recognise that dementia is now one of the key priorities for every local care system."