Dementia care: New diagnosis targets and AI diagnostic tools

Experts at the Alzheimer’s Society are calling for a major overhaul of dementia care in England, proposing a target that patients receive a precise diagnosis within 18 weeks of seeing a GP. Currently, the average time to receive a confirmed diagnosis is approximately 3.5 years, which can delay access to essential social support and treatments. This proposal is part of a broader discussion regarding the NHS’s forthcoming Modern Service Framework for dementia and frailty, which is expected to be overseen by a new “dementia tsar.”

In parallel, researchers involved in the EU-funded AI-Mind project are developing artificial intelligence tools to identify individuals at risk of dementia before clinical symptoms appear. By analyzing large datasets, these AI-based diagnostics aim to facilitate earlier monitoring and intervention. Researchers at Oslo University Hospital noted that early identification is critical, as opportunities for intervention are often lost by the time significant cognitive decline has occurred.