Kent NHS Trust Starts 90% Accurate Alzheimer's Blood Tests for 26,000 Dementia Patients
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · May 19
Kent NHS Trust Starts 90% Accurate Alzheimer's Blood Tests for 26,000 Dementia Patients
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · May 19
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust has begun offering Alzheimer's blood tests in local memory clinics for the first time through the national ADAPT research study.
The test looks for brain proteins linked to Alzheimer's and delivers about 90% accuracy, with clinicians assessing whether it can speed and widen diagnosis in routine NHS care.
Only a limited number of patients will receive the test during the study, but doctors say it could eventually reduce reliance on lumbar punctures and PET scans and shorten waits for answers.
Maureen Royston-Lee, a Kent woman with early onset Alzheimer's, backed the project after her diagnosis took more than 18 months, a delay her family described as frightening.
East Kent is also one of four UK pilot sites in the £2 million GRACE study, which aims to cut care inequalities and improve year-long post-diagnosis support in a region where more than 26,000 people live with dementia.
As blood tests promise early Alzheimer's diagnosis, is our healthcare system truly prepared for what comes next?
With AI now predicting Alzheimer's, will new blood tests be enough, or just one piece of a complex puzzle?
Transforming Alzheimer’s Diagnosis: The Promise and Urgency of Blood-Based Biomarker Tests for Early, Accurate, and Equitable Detection
Overview
Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis is changing, moving from specialist brain scans and spinal fluid tests—which are accessed by fewer than 2% of UK memory clinic patients—to new blood tests. This shift addresses a critical gap in diagnostic reach. The new blood tests work by measuring specific proteins in the blood that indicate Alzheimer’s disease, offering a simpler, earlier, and more accurate way to diagnose. By making diagnosis more accessible and less invasive, these tests aim to help more people get timely answers and support, transforming the pathway for Alzheimer’s care and improving outcomes for patients.