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Researchers at the University of Sheffield say that concerns over the government’s NHS drive to diagnose more cases of dementia have been realised, with some patients who have depression – or simply have a fading memory due to old age – potentially being misdiagnosed with dementia.

The NHS initiative to improve the rate of dementia diagnosis raised concerns because GPs were given a cash incentive of £55 for every new dementia case they diagnosed. The move was to counter “shockingly low” rates of dementia diagnosis in the health service. Some doctors and campaigners called the initiative unethical, however, because of the risk GPs would misdiagnose as a result of the cash incentive.

The Daily Mail reports that some of the concerns may have been justified, after researchers at Sheffield University found that number of inaccurate referrals by GPs to memory clinics which diagnose dementia doubled after the initiative was launched.

The researchers found that, out of 150 patients, slightly more than half (52%) who had been sent to memory clinics for scans after the scheme was launched in October were later found not to have dementia. Before the initiative was introduced the figure would have been in the region of 25%-30%.

Lead researcher and consultant neurologist at the University of Sheffield, Dr Daniel Blackburn, said the initiative may be having a “devastating consequence” on patients and families where a relative is misdiagnosed with dementia – a degenerative disease which can involve progressive and profound memory loss, as well as confusion and behavioural symptoms.

Memory loss can also be a symptom of depression, however, as the memory recall centre of the brain – the hippocampus – shrinks as a result of low levels of the “happiness chemicals” dopamine and serotonin, or when an individual is stressed and under pressure. Being stopped by a stranger and asked for directions and not being able to direct them even to a familiar local place is the result of stress and anxiety causing the brain’s memory centre to “shrink” when an individual is “put on the spot”.

Some loss of memory in old age is also common and not always a sign that an elderly person has dementia, but is simply “slowing down” as they grow older.

The NHS scheme to diagnose more dementia cases involves GPs either make a diagnosis after asking a patient a series of detailed questions –
or referring patients to memory clinics for scans.

However, dementia and dementia conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease are not always easy to diagnose – and campaigners say that if more patients are sent for scans, then it is likely more will be diagnosed with dementia.

However, because of the error margins in tests for dementia, it also follows that more patients will be misdiagnosed – resulting in unnecessary anguish for patients and their families and an increase in waiting times for diagnosis and treatment for those who do have early-stage dementia.

Dr Blackburn said:

“We already know there are long waiting lists to be seen and if you send more people who don’t have dementia into those clinics … it slows down the process.

“But also I think there is a risk that, if we don’t analyse patients carefully enough, then we are going to give people a false diagnosis.”

The current initiative runs until the end of March – in the five months since October 2014 when the NHS scheme was launched, there were nearly 35,000 new cases of dementia diagnosed, compared with 4,600 between April and September 2014.

GP Dr Martin Brunet from Guildford in Surrey said there was no way of knowing whether some GPs had “gamed” the system for diagnosing dementia, however, because of the NHS cash incentive.

“Consider also that someone might have dementia – but the GP knows the memory clinic won’t turn them around before the end of March. What would you do in that situation?

“Tell yourself that’s bad luck that the memory clinic has such a long waiting list in your area – or code them as dementia now, knowing that after the end of March you can always change the code if the specialist diagnoses something else?” Dr Brunet said.

The findings of the Sheffield University research are published in GP magazine Pulse.

Duncan Lewis Clinical Negligence Solicitors – Medical Negligence Claims and GP Negligence Claims

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of clinical negligence solicitors and can advise NHS patients who have been misdiagnosed with dementia or diseases such as cancer on how to make a no win no fee claim for compensation – including compensation for unnecessary treatment after misdiagnosis.

Clinical negligence claims have to be made within three years of the date of misdiagnosis – or from the date misdiagnosis became evident.

Children who have been misdiagnosed can make no win no fee clinical negligence claims up to the age of 21.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Claims for Medical Negligence and GP Negligence, call Duncan Lewis Clinical Negligence Solicitors on 020 7923 4020.