Data and Intelligence
The Department of Health and Social Care have a Dementia Profile on their “Fingertips” data tool where the latest information can be viewed. Dementia Profile | Fingertips | Department of Health and Social Care
The following information is a summary of key findings from this information when viewed in 2025.
In 2023/24, 1.0% of patients in Hartlepool were diagnosed with dementia, a rate higher than both the regional (0.9%) and national (0.8%) averages. Face-to-face dementia reviews fell sharply during the pandemic, dropping from 77.8% in 2019/20 to 37.2% in 2020/21, and remained below national levels. NHS Health Checks have since recovered, with 10.9% uptake in 2024/25, surpassing regional and national figures.
Emergency admissions for dementia among over-65s were 4,111 per 100,000 in 2019/20, consistently above national rates since 2016/17. Short-stay admissions were lower than England (27.2% in 2019/20) and have remained so. Mortality rates for people aged 65+ with dementia spiked in 2020 but have since declined; in 2023, Hartlepool recorded 815 per 100,000, now below regional and national figures—a positive shift.
Care quality remains strong: 82.8% of dementia-suitable care home beds were rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ in 2023, consistently above national levels since 2019. End-of-life trends show 20% of people with dementia died in hospital in 2023, down 12.4% from 2022, while 66.7% died in care homes, higher than national averages. Deaths at home remain lower than England (10% vs. 15.5%).
Risk Factors
Hartlepool faces significant health challenges linked to dementia risk. Obesity prevalence is 18.4% (2023/24), above regional and national levels. Physical inactivity has risen, with 30.5% of adults inactive in 2023/24, compared to 22% nationally. Smoking prevalence (18.4% in 2022/23) remains higher than England despite gradual declines.
Alcohol-related admissions among 40–64-year-olds are notably high at 1,272 per 100,000 in 2023/24, far exceeding England’s 802 per 100,000. Cardiovascular conditions are also more common: coronary heart disease (4.1%), hypertension (18%), diabetes (8.7%), and stroke (2.3%) all exceed national rates. Depression prevalence has risen to 14.8%, consistently above England since 2018.
Future Projections
The Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes University have a system named the Projecting Older People Population Information which uses population data and prevalence rates to predict the future prevalence of conditions including Dementia. Projecting Older People Population Information System
The total population aged 65 and over with Dementia in Hartlepool is predicted to increase between 2023 and 2030 by 13.64% and to increase by 41.62% by 2040.