Dementia questions and answers
Answers to the questions we are asked most often, about dementia, the assessment, cost and what happens next.
Phones answered 24 hours a day. Our clinical team is available Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 18:00.
Registered with the Care Quality Commission
No GP referral needed
About dementia
What is dementia?
Dementia is a group of symptoms caused by conditions that affect the brain over time. It affects memory, thinking, language, problem-solving and everyday activities, and can change mood and behaviour. The most common types are Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia. Some people have more than one type, known as mixed dementia.
What are the early signs of dementia?
Early signs include problems with memory (especially of recent events), difficulty concentrating or following a conversation, finding familiar tasks harder, confusion about time or place, changes in mood or confidence and struggling to find the right word. These changes can have other causes, so an assessment helps find out what is behind them.
What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's disease?
Dementia describes the symptoms. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, but not the only one.
What is vascular dementia?
Vascular dementia is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, for example after a stroke or a series of small strokes. It often affects speed of thinking, planning and concentration, as well as memory.
The assessment
How long does it take to get a dementia diagnosis in the UK?
On the NHS, the median wait from referral to diagnosis at memory assessment services in England, Wales and Jersey was 137 days in 2025, according to the National Audit of Dementia. With us, your first appointment is available the same week, and from booking to diagnosis typically takes 20 working days.
What happens at a dementia assessment?
A cognitive examination with a mental health nurse, a blood test at your chosen address, an MRI or CT brain scan near you and a 24-hour heart rhythm monitor. A consultant old age psychiatrist then reviews the results with you and confirms the diagnosis.
What happens at each step More about dementia testsDo I need a GP referral?
No. You can book directly with us. With your consent, we send your report to your GP once your assessment is complete.
Do you offer brain scans for dementia?
Yes. Our assessment includes an MRI or CT scan at one of over 200 scan centres across the UK. The scan shows the structure of the brain, including any areas of shrinkage.
Do you offer assessments near me?
Most of the assessment happens at home by video, with a blood test at your chosen address and a brain scan at a centre near you, anywhere in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Face-to-face appointments are available at our London Waterloo clinic, and in other towns and cities on request.
Can you give a second opinion after a diagnosis?
Yes. If you have been given a diagnosis, or told you do not have dementia, and would like another view, you can book our assessment for a second opinion.
Cost
How much does a private dementia assessment cost?
Our full assessment costs £2,999.00, payable in two equal instalments. With face-to-face appointments at our London Waterloo clinic it costs £3,499.00 or £3,999.00.
See the full cost breakdownWhat does the price include?
Every test and appointment in the assessment: the cognitive examination, blood test, brain scan, 24-hour heart rhythm monitor and consultant appointment, with your written report and care plan.
Treatment and the NHS
Can I use a private diagnosis with the NHS?
Yes. With your consent, we send your report, diagnosis and care plan to your GP, so your care can continue through the NHS or privately. Your GP decides on any NHS prescribing and referrals.
Private and NHS assessment comparedCan you prescribe medication after a diagnosis?
Yes, where clinically appropriate. Our consultants can prescribe privately after a diagnosis, through dispensary partners who distribute nationally. Your GP can also prescribe through the NHS.
Are there new treatments for Alzheimer's disease?
Anti-amyloid treatments are a newer type of medicine for some people with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease. Two are licensed in the UK. They are not suitable for everyone.
Before treatment, tests such as a PET scan or a lumbar puncture must confirm amyloid in the brain, and treatment needs regular MRI scans to check for side effects. Standard MRI and CT scans show the structure of the brain, not amyloid.
NICE has not recommended them for routine NHS use. After appeals it is looking at the evidence again. When we checked on 9th October 2026, it had not published its final decision.
An early, accurate diagnosis is the first step in finding out which treatments might be an option.
More about dementia treatmentSupporting someone
What should I do if I think someone has dementia?
Talk to them gently about what you have noticed, and suggest a check-up. They can see their GP, or contact us for a private assessment. An early diagnosis gives more time to plan and to find the right support.
How can I help someone who does not want to be assessed?
Many families ask this. It can help to talk gently about specific changes you have noticed, to suggest a general health check and to involve someone they trust. Call us first and we will explain what the assessment involves, so you can talk it through together before you book.
More about getting someone assessedWhere can carers find support?
Alzheimer's Society and Dementia UK offer information and support for families and carers, and your GP or local council can tell you about services near you.
Other services
Do you offer genetic testing for dementia?
Yes. We offer testing for the APOE gene, other single genes and a panel of 35 genes linked to dementia and Parkinson's disease, with a consultation before the test.
Genetic testing for dementiaDo you offer mental capacity assessments?
Yes, for solicitors and their clients, including COP3 assessments, testamentary capacity and lasting powers of attorney.
Mental capacity assessmentsStill have a question?
Call us and we will talk it through, or send an enquiry.
Phones answered 24 hours a day. Our clinical team is available Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 18:00.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Arpita Chakrabarti (GMC 5180513) and Dr Rohit Renjhen (GMC 5209302), consultant old age psychiatrists. Last reviewed 6th October 2026. Next review 6th October 2027.