Call for 12-week dementia diagnosis target in Wales

Nation.Cymru staff

Families affected by dementia are being forced to put their lives on hold while waiting for a diagnosis, a charity has warned as it calls for a 12-week diagnosis target in Wales.

Alzheimer’s Society said prolonged waits can have a significant impact on carers’ jobs, finances and family lives, with some cutting their working hours or dipping into savings.

The charity is calling on the Welsh Government to introduce the 12-week target as part of its forthcoming dementia strategy, following a commitment made by Plaid Cymru ahead of May’s Senedd election.

New UK-wide research commissioned by Alzheimer’s Society found 45% of people waited more than six months for a dementia diagnosis after first seeking help.

A survey of more than 1,000 people caring for or close to someone with dementia also found 46% of carers supporting someone with a formal diagnosis said the time taken to receive it had affected their work.

More than a third said the wait had made it harder to plan for the future, while 32% reported sleepless nights and 30% said they had felt as though their life was on hold.

The impact on employment was particularly pronounced among people aged between 35 and 44, with 56% reporting an effect on their work.

The research also highlighted the financial pressures associated with caring for someone with dementia.

Some 37% of respondents said they had used personal savings because of the financial impact of caring, while 36% had cut back on everyday spending.

Around a third had reduced their working hours, while a similar proportion said they were spending less on their own health and wellbeing.

However, 91% of those caring for someone with a formal diagnosis said at least one aspect of their lives became easier once it had been received.

Benefits included being better able to understand symptoms and behaviour, support the person with dementia, access information and speak to healthcare professionals.

Michelle Dyson, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Society, said: “It is always better to know. 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.

“You would never accept someone being diagnosed with cancer and then left to work out the next steps on their own. Yet that is still the reality for too many people affected by dementia. Dementia does not wait, and neither should diagnosis.

“People living with dementia in Wales should receive an accurate diagnosis within 12 weeks, which Plaid Cymru committed to in its manifesto. Then following diagnosis, people should quickly receive a care plan, and treatment where appropriate. It’s the very least people with dementia and their families deserve.”

Support

The survey found that difficulties did not necessarily end once a diagnosis had been made.

Carers said they wanted more follow-up from healthcare professionals, better information about treatment options, help accessing local services and clearer guidance about what to do next.

Alzheimer’s Society is also calling for people in Wales to receive a care plan promptly after diagnosis and treatment where appropriate.

The research was carried out by Yonder Data Solutions among 1,004 UK adults between August 5 and 13. Of those surveyed, 49% were caring for someone with dementia, while 51% had a close friend or family member living with the condition.

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