7th November 2012

Government announces cash to cut dementia diagnosis times

Originally published by Alzheimer’s Society

The Prime Minister has announced funding grants from the government’s Biomedical Catalyst fund for technology to slash dementia diagnosis times.

The fund, managed by the Technology Strategy Board, provides funding for life science technology in the UK.

The £29.6 million pound grant will include funding for a healthcare system that will enable faster, earlier and more cost effective dementia diagnosis. Deployed in a memory clinic or a local brain health centre, it will combine computerised cognitive testing and imaging technology to improve access to information and cut diagnosis times to as little as three months.

Alzheimer’s Society comment:

‘Many people with dementia face a wait of months and even years for a diagnosis and fewer than half ever receive one. This means hundreds of thousands of people are living in a state of limbo without access to treatment and support to live well. This government funding has the potential to reduce the wait for a diagnosis, give GPs the confidence to diagnose and reflects a commitment from the government to tackling dementia.

With 800,000 people in Britain living with the condition dementia is the biggest public health challenge facing Britain today. As numbers double and costs soar, developing earlier ways of diagnosing the condition and ensuring we support people after they are diagnosed to live a full and independent life as long as possible are vital.’