Veteran news anchor Jon Snow is among a group of celebrity dementia campaigners calling for a “bold and ambitious” plan for faster access to accurate diagnosis, treatment and support.
The former Channel 4 News presenter has joined actors Sir Jonathan Pryce, Dame Meera Syal, Suranne Jones and Vicky McClure – all Alzheimer’s Society ambassadors – in signing an open letter to government, demanding “better for everyone affected by dementia”.
Snow confirmed earlier this year that he is living with Alzheimer’s disease.
He is backing Alzheimer’s Society’s push for a new “nationally recognised standard” that would mean someone with dementia would receive an accurate diagnosis within 18 weeks of a GP referral, together with a care plan and access to treatment where necessary.
The campaign comes after the charity’s survey of over 1,000 carers revealed that nearly 45% of people living with dementia waited more than six months for a diagnosis after first seeking help.
Among the 868 carers whose loved one had gone on to receive a formal diagnosis, the knock-on effects were significant. Nearly half (46%) reported that the wait had affected their work and 35% said that it had made it harder to plan for the future.
The letter, which was delivered to No 10 Downing Street earlier this month, calls for the government to “set an ambitious goal to reduce the number of people that die from dementia, ensure robust plans are in place to deliver disease modifying treatments, as they become available, support the delivery of high-quality dementia training for the social care workforce, and ensure everyone can access an early and accurate diagnosis”.
The government’s Modern Service Framework for Dementia and Frailty, expected to be published at the end of the year, is aimed at improving the quality of care and support for people living with dementia.
Alzheimer’s Society have described the framework as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity that could change the story on dementia” but cautioned that it will only deliver on this goal if it is “bold and ambitious”.
Michelle Dyson, CEO at Alzheimer’s Society said: “Too many families spend months, and sometimes years, waiting for answers while their dementia progresses. It is like trying to plan a journey without knowing where you are going or when you will arrive.
“You would never accept someone being diagnosed with cancer and then left to work out the next steps on their own. Yet that is still the reality for too many people affected by dementia. Dementia does not wait, and neither should diagnosis.
“People living with dementia should receive an accurate diagnosis and, crucially, a care plan and access to appropriate treatment, within 18 weeks of referral. This would bring dementia in line with all other major health conditions and is not only achievable, it is the very least that people with dementia and their families deserve.”