Dementia Assessment and Referral data collection – January 2017

The January 2017 data for the Dementia Assessment and Referral data collection in England by NHS England was released on 5^th April 2017 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,
3. 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 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. Measure iii) has changed back to being collected by providers and to its 2014/15 definition. Data are no longer collected from community trusts or CCGs. The acute trusts have maintained a good response rate similar to previous months.

Monthly Publication –January 2017

The total number of data returns submitted by NHS Foundation and Non-Foundation Trusts providing acute funded care was 147 in January 2017, compared to 147 in December 2016. There were 3 nil returns, compared to 3 in December. Nil returns are excluded from the results presented below.

Data by Total Patients

1. Overall, 88.4% 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 January 2017, compared to 87.3% in December.
2. Of the patients initially identified or found as potentially having dementia, 92.8% were further appropriately assessed in January 2017, compared with 92.9% in December.
3. Of the patients whose outcome was positive or inconclusive, 94.5% were referred for specialist services in January 2017, compared with 94.9% in December.

Data by Acute Trusts

1. 72.2% (104 trusts) achieved at least 90% in January 2017 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 68.8% (99 trusts) in December.
2. 81.3% (117 trusts) achieved at least 90% in January 2017 in carrying out further appropriate assessments, compared with 77.8% (112 trusts) in December.
3. 75.7% (109 trusts) achieved at least 90% in January 2017 in referring on to specialist services, compared with 77.8% (112 trusts) in December.

85 acute trusts (59%) achieved at least 90% in all three measures in January 2017.

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

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