Alzheimer's Society calls for screening of all over-75s to diagnose dementia

Published on Monday 28 March 2011 19:03

A LEADING dementia body has said that all over-75s should be screened for signs of dementia to ensure that they get the right treatment, care and support.

Fewer than half of the UK's estimated 750,000 dementia sufferers actually receive a diagnosis of the illness, and many are missing out on the benefits of new medications which can slow its development, the Alzheimer's Society has said.

However, the BMA and other dementia bodies have cautioned that universal screening may drain vital NHS resources, is not wholly reliable and that Scotland in particular needs greater investment in post-diagnosis care.

The Alzheimer's Society director of research, Professor Clive Ballard, said: "At the moment, there are 750,000 people with dementia in the UK and it will be more than a million by 2021, but less than half of those individuals actually receive a diagnosis of dementia.

"That is fundamental to them getting the right treatment and support and care.

"The only way we are going to improve the identification is through effective screening and probably the right time to do that is over the age of 75, once dementia starts to become more common."