The August 2014 data for the Dementia Assessment and Referral data collection in England by NHS England and revisions for Quarter 1 2014-15 and July 2014 were released on the 5^th November 2014 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

Key points

The key results for data collected on the number and proportion of patients aged 75 and over admitted as an emergency for more than 72 hours who have been identified as potentially having dementia, who are appropriately assessed and, where appropriate, were referred on to specialist services are as follows:

• 93 trusts achieved at least 90% in all three measures, a decrease of 7 trusts from 100 trusts in July 2014.
• 88% of admitted patients were initially assessed for potential dementia in August 2014, the same percentage as in July 2014.
• Of the patients initially assessed and found as potentially having dementia, 93% were further assessed in August 2014, a decrease of 1 percentage point from 94% in July 2014.
• Of the patients who were further assessed and in which the outcome was either positive or inconclusive, 95% were referred on to specialist services in August 2014, a decrease of 2 percentage points from 97% in July 2014.
• The percentage of trusts in August 2014 achieving at least 90% in each measure was as follows:
  • 77% of the trusts (113 trusts) carried out initial assessments for cases of dementia, a decrease of 1 percentage point from 78% (114 trusts) in July 2014;
  • 82% (120 trusts) carried out further diagnoses, the same percentage as in July 2014 (119 trusts);
  • 80% (117 trusts) referred cases on to specialist services, a decrease of 7 percentage points from 87% (127 trusts) in July 2014.

The number of data returns submitted by NHS providers of acute funded care was 150 in August 2014, an increase from 149 in July 2014. These included 3 nil returns in July 2014 and 3 nil returns in August 2014, which were excluded from the figures reported above.

Dementia Assessment and Referral data collection – Revisions

• Revised data for Quarter 1 2014-15 and July 2014 were also published. The commentaries for the quarters have not been revised as the changes had a small impact on national figures.

The full data tables can be found in the NHS England website:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/dementia/dementia-assessment-and-referral-2014-15/