Dementia is a cruel and indiscriminate disease. Unfortunately, last week I was unable to attend the debate on new dementia treatments, however I would like to share my thoughts here.
The reality of one in three people having dementia within their lifetimes was emphasised to me by my constituents, who have been sharing their personal experiences of dementia, and those on behalf of those living with the disease.
Today, dementia is the leading killer in the UK across the population, but for women, this has been the case since 2011.
It is currently the only leading cause of death in the UK without any treatment to prevent, slow or stop its progression. It features on the list alongside cancer, lung disease, and heart disease.
Many of these diseases feature established methods of diagnosis. For example, as a woman aged 25 to 64 you are invited for a smear test every three to five years, depending on your age, to detect for HPV and abnormal cells. However, for dementia there is no routine check, which has slowed rates of diagnosis across the country.
In Hartlepool, there are currently 941 people who have been formally diagnosed with dementia, but NHS England estimate that there are in fact approximately 1,188 people in total living with dementia.
Personally, I find the statistic is that over a quarter of a million people are currently living with undiagnosed dementia across the UK very frightening.
The dementia diagnosis rate for Hartlepool is currently at 79.2%, which is above the national target set by the NHS at 66.7%. This puts Hartlepool as the 24th highest constituency in the country. But at 79.9% it does not offer me any relief, as there are still over 20% of my constituents living undiagnosed.
I cannot imagine how a missing diagnosis would affect the mental health of those unknowingly living with the disease and those around them, something which has been proven to result in faster deterioration, and limited their accessibility to the help they’re entitled to on our NHS.
Although, as of right now there is no cure for dementia available on our NHS, there are treatments which can lessen the symptoms, including Donepezil, Rivastigmine and Galantamine, which can work to keep the brain working normally for longer.
The NHS target for diagnosis being at a low level is particularly concerning as over the last 12 months dementia research has hugely progressed and reached an enormous breakthrough, finding two drugs which target the underlying cause of Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common type of dementia.
These drugs can target and remove a protein called amyloid. Amyloid is harmful to our brain cells when it is allowed to build up as it prevents messages being sent between nerve cells in the brain.
If approved, for these medicines to be as successful it will be paramount that the NHS distribute them as quickly as possible to all who require them, which will require up to date records of all of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and the NHS to be prepared to distribute.
With diagnosis target rates being only two thirds of the population, one third of people with dementia will miss out on these potentially lifesaving drugs. Some may also be unaware whether these drugs will help them, as they have only been diagnosed generally as having dementia, and not categorized as having Alzheimer’s.
Of course, the Conservatives target to shorten NHS waiting lists will help with speeding up diagnosis for those waiting, as will reflecting on previous diagnoses to ensure they are given a specific sub-type of diagnosis to guarantee that those eligible to receive new treatment will.
I am optimistic that these medicines will be approved, and a cure will become readily available. When this happens, the NHS must be ready.