National Audit of Dementia: Dementia – Survey of Memory Assessment Services (11 June 2026)

Summary

The National Audit of Dementia (NAD) has published a report on the Service Mapping Exercise carried out across Memory Assessment Services in England and Wales, plus Jersey, in 2025. The report highlighted continuing demand for services, increase in waiting times, and wide variation in service staffing, specific diagnoses, and post diagnostic provision.

Analysis of figures provided by services found approximately 2 referrals for every 1000 people in the catchment population. The median waiting time from referral to diagnosis has increased by 5 days to 137 days since the 2023 spotlight audit, despite low staff vacancies reported.

There was great variation in staffing numbers and roles, and in services provision, with 23% of services not providing Cognitive Stimulation Therapy post-diagnosis. There continues to be wide variation in diagnoses at a service level, compounded by many services being unable to return data on diagnoses. Services reported low clinical vacancy rates overall. Over half reported joint working with neurology and geriatric medicine to enhance the diagnostic process.

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