Dementia
One person every three minutes will develop dementia in the UK. There are currently close to 1 million people living with Dementia in the UK today, with 1 in 11 people over the age of 65 with a Dementia diagnosis. A study by Alzheimer’s UK found that Dementia is the most feared diagnosis in the UK. Due to its negative connotation, it was found that 1 in 4 people wait 2 years before a diagnoses is made.
A diagnosis of dementia can be life changing. But it is important an early diagnosis is made, as many of the treatments available work best during the early stages of the condition.
If you are worried you have signs of memory impairment, you shouldn’t delay seeking expert help.
What is Dementia?
Dementia describes a set of symptoms which are associated with an ongoing decline of brain functions. The term dementia describes a group of diseases that cause progressive decline in cognition and everyday functioning.
These symptoms can include memory loss, difficulties with problems solving, language, swallowing and change in behaviour. These symptoms may appear gradually, but can start to affect a person’s everyday life.
There are different types of dementia and they can affect people differently. The most common types of dementia include: Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, Frontal lobe dementia.
Diagnosis
Making a diagnosis requires expert clinical opinion, as many of the symptoms of dementia can be caused by other conditions.
In order for dementia to be diagnosed, you will require a comprehensive assessment of your cognition, blood tests to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms, a brain scan to evaluate the structure of your brain and assessment of changes that would be in keeping with dementia.
Dr Chauhan’s Cognitive Clinic:
Dr Chauhan sees patients for an initial consultation for 60 minutes. In this time, he will undertake a comprehensive assessment of your cognition and review of your medical history and medications.
You will then undergo blood tests, cognitive screening and an MRI scan of your brain on the same day.
Following these tests, Dr Chauhan will provide you with a comprehensive plan based on your diagnoses. He will discuss treatment options and offer advice on lifestyle changes, support for you and your family, future planning and other aspects of living well with dementia, and advising on how you can use technology to assist you with your daily life.
Fees
- New appointment: £300
- Follow-up appointment: £200
If you have private medical insurance, please contact your insurer before your consultation to check the terms of your policy, particularly the level and type of cover, including any reimbursement limits on individual consultation fees.
Dr Chauhan complies with the schedule of charges for specific insurance companies. If your policy covers consultations, in most cases there will be no shortfall to pay, but you may have an excess liability on your policy.
Following your consultation, you may need certain tests (for example, blood tests or imaging such as an X-ray, ultrasound, MRI or CT scan) to diagnose your condition, and a follow-up consultation to discuss your diagnosis and receive treatment. Fees for tests and certain treatments will be determined by the clinic or hospital and charged separately to your insurer.
Please always check your policy conditions or contact your insurer as necessary. Please note you are responsible for any fees not covered by your insurer.
Prior to your consultation please obtain a Letter of Guarantee (LOG) and send this to pa@drdevchauhan.com.
If you wish to proceed with any tests, treatments or further consultations offered to you, please obtain and send a new LOG covering for these.
Without the LOG, patients would be required to pay in advance on the day and claim the amount back from their Embassy.
Dr Chauhan’s team handle medical billing of most self-paying patients. You will receive a secure payment link – we kindly request that payment is made in advance of your appointment.
Medserv handles medical billing of private medical insurers on behalf of Dr Chauhan. Please direct any queries to: pa@drdevchauhan.com.
A missed appointment or last minute cancellation is a lost opportunity to offer the consultation to another patient who requires medical attention. We kindly request at least 24 hours’ notice if you need to change or cancel your appointment.
If you booked through the clinic or hospital booking service, please contact them directly. If you booked your appointment through Dr Chauhan’s PA, please email pa@drdevchauhan.com or phone 020 8050 0992.
Self-paying patients will be refunded in full for any cancellations made with at least 24 hours’ notice.
Non-attendance or a cancellation made with less than 24 hours’ notice will unfortunately incur a fee of £150. Please note that most insurers will not cover or reimburse this fee, so you will be invoiced directly.
To ensure accurate record keeping and clinical decision-making, we would be grateful if you could bring to your appointment any relevant medical reports, tests results, referral letters (either from your GP or another specialist) and an up-to-date list of medicines you are currently taking (for example, repeat prescription).