Approximately 800 000 people have dementia in the UK and this number is expected to double over the next 30 years. Only 40% of those with dementia receive a formal diagnosis but if dementia is diagnosed early enough, there are lots of things that can be done to help people overcome the problems and to improve their quality of life. The Government has recognised this, and in the past 3 years it has produced a National Dementia Strategy and Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia with an emphasis on early recognition and diagnosis of dementia. This article aims to highlight when to suspect dementia in primary care and what assessments should be carried out before referral to specialist services.
IliffeS.RobinsonL.BrayneC.GoodmanC.RaitG.ManthorpeJ.AshleyP. (2009). Primary care and dementia: 1. Diagnosis, screening and disclosure. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 24, 895–901. doi: 10.1002/gps.2204.
