Described as the most comprehensive review of dementia-related hospitalisations ever conducted in the UK, the report, by researchers at University College London, draws on evidence from 77 studies. involving nearly 1.5 million participants.
It paints an alarming picture of mounting pressure on hospitals, with researchers highlighting delayed discharges, poor communication between healthcare teams and families, and hospital environments ill-equipped to meet the needs of people with dementia.
According to the findings, people with dementia are 42% more likely to be admitted to acute care and face up to a 35% higher risk of readmission than those without the condition. Once admitted, they remain in hospital significantly longer, with patients five times more likely to stay despite being medically fit for discharge. Delayed discharges alone are estimated to cost the NHS £328 million annually.
The report also reveals the profound impact prolonged hospital stays have on patients and their families. Nearly half (45.8%) of people with dementia develop delirium during hospital admissions, while nine in 10 families say hospitals are confusing and frightening environments for their loved ones.
Researchers included testimony from patients' relatives, many of whom described distressing experiences. One family member said they had to feed their relative because staff failed to assist, adding that "if we didn't go, he wouldn't get fed." Others reported patients being discouraged from using the toilet independently or left without help at mealtimes, even on wards described as dementia-friendly.
The report also highlights the strain on NHS staff, with 87% of hospital workers surveyed saying caring for dementia patients is particularly challenging due to limited resources. Families are also shouldering a significant burden, providing more than 100 hours of unpaid care each week on average, often at the expense of their own careers and wellbeing.
Lead author Professor Andrew Sommerlad of UCL's Division of Psychiatry argues that stronger community-based services and better coordination between health and social care could reduce unnecessary admissions and shorten hospital stays.
Rather than investing in interventions with limited evidence of reducing hospitalisation, the report recommends expanding integrated multidisciplinary care, increasing the involvement of clinical pharmacists in hospitals, and making advance care planning a routine part of dementia care. Researchers estimate that effective advance care planning could reduce hospital admissions by as much as 55%, while greater use of hospital pharmacists could deliver savings of £38 for every £1 invested.
With the number of people living with dementia expected to rise sharply over the coming decades, researchers say urgent reforms are needed to improve patient care while easing growing pressure on the NHS.
Laurence Geller, the Chairman of the Geller Commission, said: 'For too long, the crisis facing people with dementia in our hospitals has been hiding in plain sight – acknowledged but never resolved, despite the millions of people across the country who have first-hand experiences of the inadequacies of current care provisions.
'I founded the Geller Commission and in turn, was pleased to support this important research, because I believe that what gets measured gets fixed. Until now, we have lacked a complete picture of the true human and financial cost of these failures. This report provides that evidence, and with it, the basis for change. Ignorance is no longer an excuse for inaction.'
