Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what comparative assessment he has made of rates of dementia diagnosis in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the rest of the UK.

Improving diagnosis rates for dementia in England is a priority for the Government and we want to see both an increase in the overall rate and a reduction in the current regional variation. Diagnosis rates for dementia in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for the devolved administrations.

NHS England is undertaking a range of initiatives to help reduce increase dementia diagnosis rates and reduce variation including:

Monthly Letters to Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs): the National Clinical Director for dementia is writing to CCGs on a monthly basis to update them on their latest dementia diagnosis rates. This information shows how each CCG is performing in relation to other CCGs in their area and by general practitioner practice. The letter contains resources and tools that CCGs and practices can use to help them increase diagnosis rates, for example, use of the Dementia Prevalence Calculator, which provides the opportunity for comparison between and within CCGs, at practice level.

Intensive Support Offer: bespoke support is available to CCGs who wish to access specific clinical advice, through a newly established network of dementia ambassadors. This network is working closely with Regional, Area Team and Strategic Clinical Network colleagues. It provides targeted support to CCGs, providing tools, resources and guidance to aid better understanding and improvements in local dementia data and information.