Dementia deaths are rising ‘year on year’ in a crisis that must not be ignored by ministers, experts say.
New analysis has revealed the disease was the leading cause of death in the UK in 2023, killing more than 75,000 people.
Alzheimer’s Research UK warned it ‘ will only worsen’ unless the Government acts so the condition ‘doesn’t remain a death sentence’.
According to the charity, the upcoming 10-year plan must ensure dementia services can cope with both growing demand and the arrival of new treatments.
It follows a major blow for sufferers ands their families after two breakthrough Alzheimer’s drugs – Lecanemab and Donanemab – were deemed too expensive for NHS patients.
The charity said more must be done to ensure the NHS is ready to scale up pilots of blood tests, saliva tests and eye scans – which are all on the horizon.
Chief executive Hilary Evans-Newton said: ‘By 2040, over 1.4 million people are expected to be living with dementia in the UK, with heartbreaking consequences for countless families and placing ever-increasing pressure on public services and the economy.
Dementia deaths are rising ‘year on year’ in a crisis that must not be ignored by ministers, experts say (stock image)
Alzheimer’s Research UK chief executive Hilary Evans-Newton (pictured) said: ‘By 2040, over 1.4 million people are expected to be living with dementia in the UK, with heartbreaking consequences for countless families and placing ever-increasing pressure on public services and the economy’
‘Dementia already accounts for a quarter of hospital beds for people over 65, and the cost of dementia to the NHS has doubled in the last decade mainly due to often avoidable emergency admissions.‘
The magnitude of damage caused by dementia on people and wider society can’t be ignored by government.’
Some 75,393 people died from dementia in 2023, compared with 74,261 in the previous 12 months and 69,178 in 2021.
This equates to about one in ten deaths overall, ahead of other major killers such as heart disease, thrombosis, embolisms and any individual cancers.
Dementia has been the leading cause of death in women since 2011, with more than 48,000 dying with the condition last year compared with 27,000 men.
The analysis also found that, of the four nations, Northern Ireland had the highest dementia death rate at 11.7 per cent, followed by England (11.6 per cent), Wales (10.6 per cent), and Scotland (10.2 per cent).
Ms Evans-Newton said the long-term plan was a ‘crucial opportunity’ to future-proof NHS dementia services.
New analysis has revealed the disease was the leading cause of death in the UK in 2023, killing more than 75,000 people (stock image)
She said: ‘This data reveals the tragic reality of dementia’s devastating impact across the UK.
‘This crisis will only worsen as our population ages unless Government takes action to address it.’
She added: ‘The 10-Year Health Plan must be used as an opportunity to capitalise on the recent advances in research, futureproof NHS dementia services and ensure dementia doesn’t remain a death sentence for everyone it touches.’
An estimated 944,000 people in the UK live with dementia with the charity predicting this could rise to 1.4 million by 2040.Yet, only around 64 per cent of people in England with dementia have a formal diagnosis, lagging behind the government’s target of 67 per cent.
Nearly half of cases are preventable through lifestyle factors so more must be done to prevent ill health, according to the charity.
Care minister Stephen Kinnock added: ‘Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease which has a terrible impact on so many families, including my own.
‘This data reveals the profound toll dementia has on individuals and their loved ones in the UK.
‘With our Plan for Change this government is committed to getting the NHS back on its feet and creating a society where every person with dementia receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life.
‘We will put Britain at the forefront of transforming treatment for dementia, backing research into the disease and ensuring that new clinically and cost-effective treatments are rolled out in a safe and timely way.’
