Dementia deaths are rising “year on year” in a crisis ministers must not ignore, experts say.
New analysis has revealed that the disease was the leading cause of death in the UK in 2023, killing more than 75,000 people.
Alzheimer’s Research UK warned it will “only get worse” unless the Government acts so the condition “no longer remains a death sentence”.
According to the charity, the next ten-year plan must ensure dementia services can cope with both growing demand and the arrival of new treatments.
It comes a blow to sufferers and their families after two innovative Alzheimer’s drugs, Lecanemab and Donanemab, were deemed too expensive for NHS patients.
The charity said more must be done to ensure the NHS is ready to scale up pilots for blood tests, saliva tests and eye scans, all of which are on the horizon.
Chief executive Hilary Evans-Newton said: “By 2040, more than 1.4 million people are expected to be living with dementia in the UK, with heartbreaking consequences for countless families and increasing pressure on public services. and the economy”.
Dementia deaths are rising ‘year on year’ in a crisis ministers must not ignore, experts say (file image)
Alzheimer’s Research UK chief executive Hilary Evans-Newton (pictured) said: “By 2040, more than 1.4 million people are expected to be living with dementia in the UK, with heartbreaking consequences for countless families and increasing pressure on public services and the economy’
“Dementia already accounts for a quarter of hospital beds for people over 65, and the cost of dementia to the NHS has doubled in the last decade, mainly due to often avoidable emergency admissions.”
“The government cannot ignore the magnitude of the damage caused by dementia to individuals and society as a whole.”
Some 75,393 people died of dementia in 2023, compared to 74,261 in the previous 12 months and 69,178 in 2021.
This equates to approximately one in ten deaths overall, ahead of other major causes of death such as heart disease, thrombosis, stroke and any individual cancer.
Dementia has been the leading cause of death in women since 2011, with more than 48,000 dying from the condition last year compared to 27,000 men.
The analysis also found that, of the four nations, Northern Ireland had the highest dementia death rate at 11.7 per cent, followed by England (11.6 per cent), Wales (10.6 per cent) and Scotland (10.2 percent).
Ms Evans-Newton said the long-term plan was a “crucial opportunity” to future-proof NHS dementia services.
New analysis has revealed that the disease was the leading cause of death in the UK in 2023, killing more than 75,000 people (file image)
She said: “This data reveals the tragic reality of the devastating impact of dementia across the UK.
“This crisis will only get worse as our population ages unless the government takes action to address it.”
He added: “The Ten Year Health Plan should be used as an opportunity to capitalize on recent advances in research, future-proof NHS dementia services and ensure that dementia does not remain a death sentence for everyone.” those it affects.”
An estimated 944,000 people in the UK are living with dementia and the charity predicts this figure could rise to 1.4 million by 2040. However, only around 64 per cent of people with dementia in England have a formal diagnosis. , behind the government’s target of 67 percent. .
Almost half of cases can be prevented through lifestyle factors, so more must be done to prevent poor health, according to the charity.
Health Care Minister Stephen Kinnock added: “Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease which has a terrible impact on many families, including mine.”
‘This data reveals the profound toll that dementia takes on people and their loved ones in the UK.
‘With our Plan for Change, this Government is committed to recovering the NHS and creating a society where every person with dementia receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis to the end of life.
“We will put Britain at the forefront of transforming dementia care, supporting research into the disease and ensuring new clinically cost-effective treatments are implemented safely and in a timely manner.”