National survey to assess current practices in the diagnosis and management of young people with dementia.
BACKGROUND
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has recommended that old age psychiatrists may be best placed to take responsibility for service provision for younger people with dementia. There are concerns however, that if referral between specialists, particularly neurologists and old age psychiatrists, is incomplete, patients may be under investigated or inappropriately followed up.


OBJECTIVE
We have assessed the current level of referral between these specialists, how each investigates their patients and details of follow up care.


METHODS
We conducted a postal survey of all consultant neurologists and consultant old age psychiatrists in the UK with an overall response rate of 64%.


CONCLUSIONS
The ideal of full collaboration between old age psychiatrists and neurologists is not achieved. Young patients may be under investigated if managed solely by an old age psychiatrist and may not receive adequate follow up services if managed solely by a neurologist.
Cordery
Rebecca
R
Dementia Research Group, Institute of Neurology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK.
Harvey
Richard
R
Frost
Christopher
C
Rossor
Martin
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004739:England; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009462:Neurology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*