Early diagnosis campaign

Early diagnosis of dementia

Two men sit at a table with a small child.

Dementia diagnosis rates are shockingly low. Of the 800,000 people living with dementia, less than half have a diagnosis. Without this, they are denied access to support, information and potential treatments that can help them to live well with their condition.

The Early Diagnosis campaign aims to increase diagnosis rates by improving public awareness of dementia through the Worried about your memory? campaign, and by increasing health professional understanding of dementia.

We are running two local awareness raising projects, and we are also looking to improve memory clinic waiting times.

Key findings

One in three people over the age of 65 will end their lives with dementia
Only 46% of people living with dementia living in the UK ever receive a diagnosis
Diagnosis rates vary from as low as 35% in Southwest England, to over 70% in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland
Without a diagnosis, people with dementia cannot receive the support, information and treatment that they need to live well with dementia