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Act now on dementia, NAO urgesDate: 04/07/2007 08:49:28
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More needs to be done to improve the treatment and support of dementia patients, a report out today has urged.
According to the National Audit Office (NAO), despite steep rises in the cases of dementia, health and social services are pushing the condition too far down their list of priorities.
It claims too few people are being diagnosed, and many are not diagnosed early enough, with only a third to a half of people ever receiving a formal diagnosis.
The watchdog has also criticised NHS staff for a lack of sufficient awareness and understanding of dementia, with less than two thirds of GPs saying that they felt it was important to look for the symptoms of dementia early on.
It has called for more to be done to address the situation, and demands the government to "actively champion" improvements in dementia services and provide further training for health and social care workers.
Head of the NAO Sir John Bourn said: "For too long dementia has not been treated as a high priority. Today's report shines a light on how significant an issue dementia is and how much scope there is to improve the way in which people who suffer from dementia are treated.
"Our rapidly ageing population means that costs for addressing dementia will continue to increase and, without redesign, services for people with dementia are likely to become increasingly inconsistent and unsustainable.
"Dementia can no longer be set aside."
NAO figures show at least 560,000 people in England suffering from the condition - a figure expected to rise by 30 per cent in the next 15 years.
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