NHS figures have revealed a record number of people being diagnosed with dementia in England.

The NHS has a target to to diagnose 66.7 per cent of the total number of people that estimates suggest are living with a form of the disease. Rates are currently at 65 per cent.

England has one of the highest dementia diagnosis rates in the world, with high-income countries typically in the range of 20-50 per cent.

The NHS is encouraging people to come forward and get checked if they have any common early signs or symptoms of dementia.

Dr Jeremy Isaacs, national clinical director for dementia, NHS England, said: “Getting a diagnosis of dementia is the first step in supporting people, with a wide range of NHS services able to help.

“NHS staff have worked hard to recover services with the number of people with a diagnosis rising significantly over the last year, and now at a record level, but there is more work to be done.

“Thousands more individuals are being diagnosed each month and more medication reviews are being done within 12 months.

“Common early symptoms of dementia include forgetting bits of information, saying the same thing repeatedly, struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word and being confused about time and place. Usually, these problems will be more obvious to the person’s family and friends than to the individual themselves.

“If you have noticed that someone has symptoms, please encourage them to visit their GP for an assessment – the sooner someone is seen the quicker the NHS can help.”