The letter comes as an Alzheimer’s Society’s charity survey found just under half of all carers of people with dementia faced waits of more than six months for a diagnosis after first seeking help
Campaigners including news presenter and dementia patient Jon Snow have urged Andy Burnham to bring in a “bold and ambitious” plan to speed up diagnosis of the disease.
Actors Sir Jonathan Pryce, Dame Meera Syal, Suranne Jones and Vicky McClure signed a letter being handed to Downing Street today, calling for someone with dementia to receive an accurate diagnosis within 18 weeks of a GP referral, as well as a care plan and access to treatment.
The letter comes as an Alzheimer’s Society’s charity survey found just under half of all carers of people with dementia faced waits of more than six months for a diagnosis after first seeking help.
Among the 868 carers supporting someone who had received a formal dementia diagnosis, 46% said the time taken to receive a diagnosis affected their work, just over a third (35%) said it made it harder to plan for the future, and three in 10 felt life was on hold.
The letter calls on the Government to “set an ambitious goal to reduce the number of people that die from dementia; ensure robust plans are in place to deliver disease modifying treatments, as they become available; support the delivery of high-quality dementia training for the social care workforce; and ensure everyone can access an early and accurate diagnosis”.
Michelle Dyson, chief executive at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “A dementia diagnosis can bring answers, understanding and access to the support, treatment and care that can make a real difference to people’s lives. But we know things can be so much better.
“Too many families spend months, and sometimes years, waiting for answers while their dementia progresses. It is like trying to plan a journey without knowing where you are going or when you will arrive. Behind every delayed diagnosis is a family living with uncertainty and trying to prepare for the future without the support they need.”
It was revealed in June that the veteran broadcaster Mr Snow had in 2023 been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia.
His last broadcast came in 2021 aged 75. He had fronted Channel 4 News between 1989-2021, and decided to open up about his diagnosis in a bid to raise awareness of the condition, which affects around a million people in the UK.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “This Government is determined to strengthen the support that is available both to individuals affected by dementia, and the family members who look after them.
“We are bringing forward the timetable for Baroness Casey’s commission on reform of the social care system, and we are appointing a new dementia tsar to help lead our work in that area, as recommended by Baroness Casey.
“We are also implementing a new action plan for unpaid carers to ensure that they receive the support and recognition they deserve for the selfless work they do.”