Look again at strategy for dementia

Dementia is one of the greatest challenges facing us all today, both as individuals and as a society. An ageing population means the numbers affected – already at least 90,000 in Scotland – will soar in the coming years.

No wonder a succession of political leaders have put what David Cameron once dubbed “one of the greatest enemies of humanity” at the top of their list.

The dramatic impact of diagnosis on patients, carers, families and friends makes the year of “timely, skilled and wellco-ordinated” support demanded by the national strategy essential.

So charities are right to express their intense disappointment that as many as four in every five are not getting it.

NHS Grampian’s defence to falling short by such a huge margin is to question the validity of a 100% target.

If patients do not want the help on offer, we can hardly force it on them, they are effectively saying.

But that fails to address the question of why so many more do – twice as many in fact – across the country as a whole.

Is what is being offered as comprehensive as in other areas? Is enough being done to highlight it to patients?

NHS Highland are at least prepared to look more closely at why they are out of step.

That is the very least those affected in the north-east deserve too.

“Charities are right to express their disappointment that four in every five are not getting it”