The staggering wait for dementia diagnosis laid bare in alarming report

Health & Fitness
31 Jul 2025 • 3:54 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • A report by charity Care England reveals patients are waiting up to two years for a dementia diagnosis, describing the situation as a "government failure".
  • The review, titled 'The Current State Of Dementia Diagnosis & Care In England', highlights significant gaps in diagnosis, regional disparities, and challenges in care coordination.
  • Waiting times from referral to diagnosis have drastically increased, now reaching two years in some instances, compared to a maximum of 34 weeks in 2019.
  • Care England is calling for a unified national strategy, enhanced dementia-specific workforce training, and sufficient sustainable funding to address the growing demand.
  • The report proposes specific changes including a national standardised diagnostic pathway and a nationally mandated standard of care across every stage of the dementia care pathway.

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