Wiltshire charity Alzheimer’s Support has launched a survey to find out why so few people with dementia have been diagnosed.

According to latest figures, just 33 per cent of people with dementia in Wiltshire are officially told what is wrong with them – one of the worst rates in the country.

Alzheimer’s Support, which helps people with dementia and their family or carers across East and West Wiltshire and has a head office in Trowbridge and an office in Devizes, is campaigning to improve what it calls the “shockingly” low rates of diagnosis in the county.

The survey of Alzheimer’s Support service users asks people about their experiences of diagnosis, including how long they had to wait for appointments.

It also asks whether they delayed finding out because they did not want to know, or because they thought their symptoms were a normal part of getting older.

Chief executive Anna Littlechild said: “This is a really important piece of research because it will give us real-life examples of how people are moving through the health system and where the delays are.

“It will also give us insight into how people make decisions in those early days when they may be concerned about memory loss but are not sure how to proceed.”

A separate survey form will be sent to Wiltshire health and social care professionals to ask for their views.

The research is funded by Comic Relief as part of a three-year project to help improve diagnosis rates in Wiltshire. It is supported by GPs, the area’s primary care trust and Wiltshire Council.

Anyone who would like to take part in the survey should contact 01225 776481 for a survey form or download a form from www.alzheimers wiltshire.org.uk