Burnham-On-Sea MP Ashley Fox has joined a growing cross‑party push for faster dementia diagnoses, backing calls for the Government to introduce a binding 18‑week target to ensure people are not left waiting months for answers and support.
He has co‑signed a letter to the Prime Minister urging ministers to bring dementia in line with wider NHS standards, warning that long delays are leaving families in Somerset and across the country struggling without a clear diagnosis or access to appropriate treatment.
The letter calls for earlier and more accurate diagnosis, supported by modern diagnostic tools and clear clinical pathways, and says the 18‑week referral‑to‑diagnosis target should be written into the Government’s forthcoming Major Conditions Strategy and carried through into NHS planning guidance for 2027/28 onwards.
Around one million people are currently living with dementia in the UK, with that figure expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. MPs say more than a third of people living with dementia in England still do not have a formal diagnosis, while the average wait from referral to diagnosis has risen sharply from 13 weeks in 2019 to 22 weeks today. They also highlight concerns that the dementia diagnosis rate target has been removed from NHS England’s 2025/26 operational guidance.
Ashley Fox adds: “Receiving a dementia diagnosis can be an incredibly difficult moment for an individual and their family, but having that diagnosis is also vital to accessing the right treatment, care and support.”
“People should not be left waiting for months without answers, particularly as new treatments and diagnostic tools continue to develop.”
“I hope the Government will listen to these calls and include a clear commitment in its forthcoming framework for dementia and frailty.”
