Dementia diagnoses must come sooner for the sake of patients, says Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage is calling on the government to improve access to dementia appointments, and ensure those who have already been diagnosed are on the right care pathway.

The Conservative MP says dementia is a topic close to her heart, and she has worked with plenty groups in her constituency to make Gosport a ‘dementia-friendly area’.

Speaking at a parliamentary questions session in Westminster, Ms Dinenage said: ‘Timely and accurate diagnosis is really important in ensuring that people living with dementia get on the right care and support pathway.

‘A lot of my constituents are really struggling to get face to face appointments that are so crucial in that.

’It concerns me that we are not yet at pre-pandemic levels for dementia diagnosis.

‘It’s vital we get the right support in place as early as possible and there’s no real substitute for face to face GP appointments. Yet local GPs are struggling to recruit and retain staff.

‘I will keep pushing for progress on these important issues.’

In October 2019, Stubbington was designated as a dementia-friendly village by the Alzheimer’s Society, after shop workers were trained and a dementia cafe was set up in the Methodist church hall.

Around 944,000 people are currently living with dementia across the UK, with a quarter of all hospital beds being occupied by people with dementia.

In Portsmouth and the surrounding area, there are more than 7,000 people living with dementia.