# Dementia patients and carers in Scotland facing a postcode lottery when it comes to access to support

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/dementia-patients-and-carers-in-scotland-facing-a-postcode-lottery-when-it-comes-to-access-to-support/
- Published: 2026-11-15T20:43:34+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-15T21:03:39+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16294751/Dementia-patients-carers-Scotland-facing-postcode-lottery-comes-access-support.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: UK, World

## Key points

- Alzheimer Scotland warns dementia support varies sharply by area.
- Just 47.6% of referrals in Dumfries and Galloway received due support.
- The charity wants a national standard covering care at every stage.

## Summary

Alzheimer Scotland says people with dementia and their carers face unequal access to support across Scotland, depending on where they live. The charity argues that inconsistent services can leave people without help after diagnosis, increasing pressure on families and potentially leading to greater care needs.

Scotland’s Local Delivery Plan standard says everyone diagnosed with dementia should receive a year of support. In 2023/24, the Western Isles and Orkney met that target, while NHS Dumfries and Galloway provided the due support to 47.6 per cent of referrals. A charity survey found 75 per cent thought care was unequal, 58 per cent struggled to find information about local services, and some people waited up to 14 months for post-diagnosis help. Alzheimer Scotland is calling for a national care standard; the Scottish Government says improving post-diagnosis support is a key goal of its 10-year dementia strategy.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.