Just over half of dementia patients receive a formal diagnosis

NHS England guidance gives a target for two-thirds of people suspected of having dementia to be officially diagnosed with the condition.

But data from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows just 61.3% of people thought to have dementia in the NHS Fylde and Wyre CCG area were formally diagnosed in 2021 – based on an indicator that predicts the expected number of dementia cases in people aged 65 and over.

Nationally, 61.6% of predicted dementia cases were formally diagnosed last year – the lowest rate in five years of available data, and down from 67.4% in 2020.

Thousands of families are stuck in limbo as they wait for a diagnosis, she added, with periods of isolation meaning friends and family have missed possible symptoms.

Ms Aldridge said: "Although there is no cure for dementia, receiving a diagnosis early on enables the person to plan for their future and seek appropriate support.

"We urgently need to address this imbalance by investing in quality dementia specialist care."

Last month, the Government said it will be producing a dementia strategy this year.

Across England, 415,778 people were formally diagnosed with dementia in 2021, down from 454,599 the year before.

In Fylde and Wyre, the total also fell, from 2,165 in 2020 to 1,979 last year.osis rates, but added it has "set out a blueprint to address backlogs built up during the pandemic and tackle long waits with a massive expansion in capacity for tests, checks and treatments."