Dementia patients facing 'postcode lottery' care, new report finds

Over 675,000 people suffering with dementia in England are facing a 'postcode lottery' when it comes to care, with some waiting up to a year for a needs assessment, a new report has found.

The best and worst performing areas for dementia prevention and care in England have been revealed by the Department of Health's new 'Dementia Atlas'.

Campaigners said the map showed the standard of assistance was "patchy at the least".

The 'Atlas' shows significant regional disparities in the quality of diagnosis and support on offer for dementia.

Caroline Abrahams from Age UK, said the map illustrated how dementia sufferers faced an "unacceptable postcode lottery of care".

The new Atlas has five different categories for how good an area is for dementia patients, including prevention, diagnosis and support as well as “living well” and “dying well”.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said tackling the disease was a key government priority and the release of the data is intended to drive improvements across the country.

"By publishing the current levels of care, we are shining a spotlight on areas where there is still work to be done, whilst highlighting where we can learn from best practice," he said.