583 
Scottish hospitals are to be set new targets for the early diagnosis of dementia, the public health minister has announced.
Shona Robison said individual health boards will be assessed and given targets to meet nationally-agreed standards of diagnosis within the next three years.
She added: “This new announcement aims to see more people with dementia diagnosed at the earliest opportunity.
“This will ensure families have time to plan, prepare and enjoy their lives as much as possible.
“We will be looking to NHS boards to achieve agreed improvements by March 2011.”
The minister also unveiled plans for a new body to oversee improvements in mental health care, and guidance on support for people with drug addiction issues.
A programme manager will be appointed for the Mental Health Collaborative and it will be up and running by the end of 2008, she said.
“The new appointee will be working across the NHS to drive change around two of the current targets for mental health, including prescribing of antidepressants and reducing by 10% the number of people who get readmitted into acute psychiatric units,” she added.
Copyright © PA Business 2007
