Written Question · S4W-23221 · Session 4
Whether it plans to pay GPs the £55 fee for each diagnosis of dementia as announced for GPs in England.
The question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to pay GPs the £55 fee for each diagnosis of dementia as announced for GPs in England.
The answer
An accurate, timely dementia diagnosis is the gateway to effective care, treatment and support. The GP contract in Scotland already supports the dementia care pathway by incentivising appropriate clinical activity through the quality and outcomes framework.
The last comparable UK-wide dementia diagnosis data, published by the UK Alzheimer Society in 2013, showed that, nationally, Scotland’s diagnosis rate was 20% higher than England and 26% higher than Wales. This in large, part reflects the success of our 2008-11 national diagnosis target, which was achieved by working collaboratively with local teams including GPs on the value of diagnosis.
Decisions regarding the care and treatment of individual patients are always a matter of professional judgement for the clinician responsible for the patient’s care.
GPs follow national clinical guidelines as well as locally agreed referral pathways to manage a patient’s healthcare, referring them for the appropriate diagnostic tests and to specialist services for their condition.
Funding to improve dementia services continues to be drawn from the overall funds allocated to NHS Scotland and local authorities by the Scottish Government.
The last comparable UK-wide dementia diagnosis data, published by the UK Alzheimer Society in 2013, showed that, nationally, Scotland’s diagnosis rate was 20% higher than England and 26% higher than Wales. This in large, part reflects the success of our 2008-11 national diagnosis target, which was achieved by working collaboratively with local teams including GPs on the value of diagnosis.
Decisions regarding the care and treatment of individual patients are always a matter of professional judgement for the clinician responsible for the patient’s care.
GPs follow national clinical guidelines as well as locally agreed referral pathways to manage a patient’s healthcare, referring them for the appropriate diagnostic tests and to specialist services for their condition.
Funding to improve dementia services continues to be drawn from the overall funds allocated to NHS Scotland and local authorities by the Scottish Government.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S4W-23221 by reference.