NHS England has published data for the first time that shows the diagnosis figures for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Since 2023 the NHS has published figures for how many people have a sub-type diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and mixed dementias. The latest NHS primary care dementia figures for June 2024 suggest that 15,000 people have a recorded diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (including Parkinson’s dementia), although prevalence is estimated to be between 73,000 and 109,000 over 65’s.
There is also a significant discrepancy in the numbers of people diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia – less than 3,000 people have a recorded diagnosis whilst those suspected of having FTD is estimated to be 15,000.
James White, Head of national influencing at Alzheimer’s Society, says:
“Around 1 million people are living with dementia in the UK and it’s the UK’s biggest killer. Yet these figures show that there is a worrying gap between the thousands of people living with frontotemporal dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies in England, and those that have been diagnosed.”
An NHS spokesperson says:
“Exact prevalence of dementia subtypes in the current UK population is unknown, but we are committed to working with professional organisations including the Royal Colleges and dementia charities to raise the profile of rarer types of dementia.”
You can see the NHS data here: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/primary-care-dementia-data/june-2024
Read personal diagnosis stories of dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia here: https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jul/19/up-to-100000-may-have-undiagnosed-forms-of-dementia-in-england