Author's reply

摘要

Sleath has already experienced the unfortunate tendency fortargetsettingto lead to perverse behaviours. Surelythe recommendation forGPs to diagnose dementia without reference to the memory clinic has come aboutto satisfy targets ratherthan out of concern for patients? It is also an example ofthedisturbingdisconnectthat often exists between diagnosis and support. Coebergh rightly raises the added challenge of makinga diagnosis of dementia in those with concomitant illness, and the difficulty of removing such a diagnosis, even when it is erroneous. Burns and colleagues are wrong to say that I thinkthe "current interest in dementia will lead to harm and overdiagnosis." I welcome the much needed attention that dementia care has received in recentyears. It is specific policies that worry me, particularly the new concept of setting targets for diagnosis rates. I am disappointed that Burns and colleagues did not mention this central theme of the article or acknowledge the ethical considerations and potential harms of such a policy.