Dementia Assessment and Referral data collection – February 2019

The February 2019 data for the Dementia Assessment and Referral data collection in England by NHS England were released on 1st May 2019 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

The collection’s purpose is to improve the identification of older patients with dementia and delirium, to monitor appropriate assessment and to prompt appropriate referral and follow up after they leave hospital. Three measures are reported – the number and proportion of patients aged 75 and over admitted as an emergency for more than 72 hours:

1. who have a diagnosis of dementia or delirium or to whom case finding is applied; [Find]
2. who, if identified as potentially having dementia or delirium, are appropriately assessed; [Assess/Investigate], and,

• where the outcome was positive or inconclusive, are referred on to specialist services. [Refer]

The Dementia Assessment and Referral collection was retired as a CQUIN collection at the start of April 2016 but has been retained in the standard contract as a mandatory submission for acute trusts. The desired level of performance is at least 90% on each part of the indicator. Data are not collected from community trusts or CCGs. The acute trusts have maintained a good response rate similar to previous months.

Monthly Publication – February 2019

The total number of data returns submitted by NHS Foundation and Non-Foundation Trusts providing acute funded care was 137 in February 2019, compared to 137 in January 2019. There were 3 nil returns, compared to 3 in January. Nil returns are excluded from the results presented below.

Data by Total Patients

1. Overall, 84.6% of patients aged 75 and over admitted as an emergency for more than 72 hours were initially identified or given case finding for potential dementia in February 2019, compared to 84.9% in January.
2. Of the patients initially identified or found as potentially having dementia, 92.6% were further appropriately assessed in February 2019, compared with 93.6% in January.
3. Of the patients whose outcome was positive or inconclusive, 94.0% were referred for specialist services in February 2019, compared with 94.6% in January.

Data by Acute Trusts

1. 65.7% (88 trusts) achieved at least 90% in February 2019 in carrying out initial identification (using case finding) for potential cases of dementia amongst patients aged 75 and over who were admitted as an emergency for more than 72 hours, compared to 65.7% (88 trusts) in January.
2. 69.4% (93 trusts) achieved at least 90% in February 2019 in carrying out further appropriate assessments, compared with 71.6% (96 trusts) in January.
3. 73.1% (98 trusts) achieved at least 90% in February 2019 in referring on to specialist services, compared with 76.9% (103 trusts) in January.

63 acute trusts (47.0%) achieved at least 90% in all three measures in February 2019.

The full data tables and the return guidance can be found on the NHS England website:

http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/dementia/