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Publication, Part of

Recorded Dementia Diagnoses, England, 2018-19

Publication Date:
25 Jul 2019
Geographic Coverage:
England
Geographical Granularity:
GP practices, Regions, Country, Sub-Integrated Care Boards, Local Authorities
Date Range:
30 Apr 2018 to 31 Mar 2019

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Recorded Dementia Diagnoses 2018 - 19

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Recorded Dementia Diagnoses 2018 - 19

1. Estimated Dementia Diagnosis Rate 65+

Figure 1: National estimated dementia diagnosis rate 65+, including upper and lower confidence limits, April 2018 - March 2019

The national estimated dementia diagnosis rate for those aged 65 and over has remained stable over the last 12 months. Figure 1 shows the national rate over 12 months in 2018-19 along with 95 per cent confidence limits; it shows that there have been no statistically significant changes in rate throughout the year.

The aim set out in 2015 in the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020 is for at least two thirds (66.7 per cent) of people with dementia to be diagnosed. In the past year the national estimated dementia diagnosis rate for those aged 65 and over has consistently exceeded this ambition, however it has never been statistically significantly greater.

Figure 2: Regional estimated dementia diagnosis rate 65+, including the 66.7 per cent national ambition, April 2018 - March 2019

The regional estimated dementia diagnosis rates for those aged 65 and over have remained stable over the last 12 months. There are no regions with a statistically higher or lower rate than the national ambition of 66.7 per cent. However, the differences between regions over the year are consistent.

2. Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Level Changes in Diagnosis Rate

Table 1: CCGs that have moved to become statistically significantly above the national ambition in diagnosis rate between April 2018 and March 2019, including upper and lower confidence limits.
Table 2: CCGs that have moved to become statistically significantly below the national ambition in diagnosis rate between April 2018 and March 2019, including upper and lower confidence limits.

3. Regional Variation in the Prescription of Anti-psychotic Medication

Figure 3: Regional variation in the prescribing of anti-psychotic medication in the last 6 weeks in people with a coded diagnosis of dementia, April 2018 – March 2019

The rate of prescribing varies between regions, with the Midlands and East of England region having the highest rate of anti-psychotic prescriptions and London having the lowest.

Figure 4: Regional average rates of the prescribing of anti-psychotic medication in people with a coded diagnosis of dementia and the average rates for the CCGs in each region

Figure 4 shows that there is a wide range in the average rate of prescription of anti-psychotic medication within each region. The Midlands and East of England region, having the highest regional rate at 10.5 per cent, has both Wolverhampton CCG and North East Essex CCG which have the highest average rates in the region of 16.2 and 15.7 per cent respectively. The South East region has the second highest average rate at 9.2 per cent - two CCGs with the highest average rates lie within this region, South Eastern Hampshire CCG at 16.0 per cent and North Hampshire CCG at 14.5 per cent.

4. Patients Diagnosed with Dementia Receiving a Medication Review

Figure 5: Percentage of people with a coded diagnosis of dementia that have also received a medication review in the preceding 12 months

This new measure, added to the publication in November 2018, looks at the number of people who have a coded diagnosis of dementia that have also had a medication review in the preceding 12 months. The number has risen from 18 per cent in September 2018 to 23.7 per cent in March 2019.

Last edited: 11 January 2024 1:19 pm