A recent report commissioned by the Alzheimer's Society has demanded the NHS to cut down on the amount of time people suffering from dementia spend in the hospitals by an average of 1 week, stating that long durations of hospitals stays have "an adverse effect" on many patients' health. If this is done, the NHS would be saving at least ?80 Million a year.

The Society questioned over 2,400 members of the NHS staff as well as car takers across England, Northern Ireland and Wales and concluded that specific needs of people suffering from dementia are generally overlooked and many end up either malnourished or dehydrated, or both.

The study revealed that out of the 60% patients who entered hospitals from their own homes, only 36% returned, as they are very likely to be sent to care homes after discharge rather than their own homes.

Almost 47% of the car takers confirmed that, in their experience, being in a hospital for long had a "significant negative effect on the general physical health of the person with dementia that was not a direct result of the medical condition".

The charity's report also calls for better training for nurses who are responsible for taking care of dementia patients. Chief executive Neil Hunt said, "The NHS is not facing up to the scale of this challenge and not equipping its staff properly for the problem ahead".