The prevalence of dementia in the United Kingdom will have risen from the current 600 000 to 1.2 million by 2050, increasing the already considerable financial and social burdens of this disorder.1 In many countries, including in the United Kingdom, primary care is the first point of contact for many people with dementia, providing longitudinal support to families and coordinating ongoing multiagency management of dementia.2 Patients with early dementia and their families may not always get the early help they need, however.

Early recognition and detection of dementia enables people with dementia and their families to better understand and come to terms with the diagnosis and to discuss future care. It also enables more timely access to treatments and drugs.3 With this in mind, a randomised controlled trial in this …