Mayor Burnham urged to set a national dementia treatment timeline

Former national cancer director Professor Sir David Jay has called on Manchester’s mayor, Andy Burnham, to introduce a clear waiting‑time target for dementia patients, according to BBC News. The proposal mirrors the 18‑week referral‑to‑treatment standard that has been in place for cancer care across England since 2005. Jay argues that a comparable benchmark for dementia would give patients and families a predictable timetable and could drive improvements in diagnostic services and early intervention.

Burnham, who also serves as the UK’s health secretary, has previously championed the cancer pathway but has not yet committed to a specific dementia target. The lack of a formal deadline means many patients experience prolonged periods between referral and diagnosis, often lasting months. Advocates say this delay hampers timely access to medication, support services, and care planning, which are crucial for slowing disease progression.

The call comes at a time when dementia prevalence is rising sharply. The UK’s Office for National Statistics estimates that around 850,000 people live with dementia, a figure projected to increase to over a million by 2030. Current NHS guidelines recommend a diagnostic assessment within 12 weeks of referral, yet data from the NHS England dementia audit shows that only about half of patients meet this standard. Introducing an 18‑week target would align dementia care with the well‑established cancer pathway, potentially leveraging existing infrastructure for monitoring and reporting.

Health policy analysts note that setting a target alone does not guarantee better outcomes; it must be backed by investment in staffing, training, and community resources. The NHS Long Term Plan, published in 2019, pledged additional funding for dementia services, but critics argue that implementation has been uneven across regions. A formal waiting‑time metric could provide a measurable goal for local authorities and commissioners, prompting more consistent allocation of resources.

If Burnham adopts the proposal, Manchester could become a pilot for a nationwide dementia target, influencing other devolution‑enabled regions. The move would also signal a broader shift in how the UK prioritises neurodegenerative diseases, placing them on a comparable footing with cancer in terms of policy urgency.

BBC News reported the recommendation and highlighted the growing consensus among clinicians that a standardized timeline is overdue. The discussion continues to unfold in health committees and patient advocacy groups, with the next round of NHS performance reviews slated for early next year.