Dementia diagnosis rate and prescription of antipsychotic medication to people with dementia

Click here to explore our interactive dashboard on Dementia 65+ estimated diagnosis rate in England.

Click here to explore our interactive dashboard on Dementia estimated diagnosis rates by Clinical Commissioning Group.

Click here to explore our interactive dashboard on the prescribing of anti-psychotic medication for people with dementia.

Not everyone with dementia has a formal diagnosis. The Dementia 65+ estimated diagnosis rate indicator compares the number of people thought to have dementia with the number of people diagnosed with dementia, aged 65 and over. The target is for at least two thirds of people with dementia to be diagnosed.

Since 2012, the NHS has been seeking to ensure that patients suffering from dementia are given a formal diagnosis so they can receive appropriate care and support. The national target is for two thirds of people with dementia to be formally diagnosed.

The Dementia 65+ estimated diagnosis rate indicator tracks this ambition by comparing the number of people thought to have dementia with the number of people diagnosed with dementia, aged 65 and over.

The indicator is updated every month.

You can see if your local area, region, or the whole of England meets the ambition of two thirds of people with dementia being diagnosed and you can see how the diagnosis rate changes over time. You can also find out how the number of people with dementia who are prescribed antipsychotic medication in your area compares to other parts of England.

You can't tell whether an area is better or worse than another area. If an area has a significantly high or low diagnosis rate or a high or low level of antipsychotic medication prescribing, this is only a smoke alarm for further investigation. .

Underlying data and details of calculations and caveats used to create this indicator are available in the Recorded dementia diagnoses section.