Dementia care map launched by Department of Health

The government has announced the launch of a new interactive online map showcasing the quality of dementia care and support in different parts of England.

Introduced as a part of a state of the nation report on dementia care standards, the map provides regional information on diagnosis rates, how often antipsychotic drugs are prescribed to patients and referral rates for further investigation.

The aim of this initiative is to organisations are held to account over poor services, while highlighting areas that are performing well as examples of best practice, thus driving up standards across the country.

Currently, 670,000 people in England live with dementia, a number that is set to double in the next 30 years.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "We must come together as a society to get better at fighting dementia. We all have a role to play in helping people manage dementia better and supporting them to lead healthier lives."

The UK will be hosting the first G8 summit on dementia later this month as it seeks to improve global standards of care for the condition.