A MUSIC teacher has criticised the lack of support for dementia sufferers after he was forced to reduce his hours at work to care for his elderly mother.

Stephen Blakeburn from Darlington was speaking as a new report was released which reveals three quarters of GPs think services are inadequate.

A survey by the Alzheimer’s Society found 77 per cent of GPs think patients with dementia rely on family as they don't get sufficient help from health and social care services.

Only one in eight North-East GPs think their dementia patients get enough support from official services and Mr Blakeburn, 50, says it has been “an all-consuming battle” to get help since his 86-year-old mother Jenny was diagnosed in 2010.

“We feel like we’ve been failed by a system which doesn’t work for us," he added.

“After two care assessments which led to nothing, I’ve been left with no option but to drastically cut down my hours at work so I can take care of her.

“I love my mum dearly and want to do everything I can to support her, but sometimes it gets too much and it’s very overwhelming.

“I feel like my life is on hold.”

The Alzheimer’s Society has used its report to warn that too many people with dementia are being let down by a system which fails to meet their needs.

Its survey of 1,000 family doctors found that half of GPs think the NHS is doing too little to care for people with the condition, while more than two-thirds believe patients don’t get enough provision from adult social services after a diagnosis.

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Our survey gives a stark view from the doctor’s surgery of people with dementia left struggling in the aftermath of a diagnosis.

“GPs report an endemic and deeply worrying lack of support available from health and social services, with relatives left to pick up the pieces alone.”

The report also shows that 31 per cent of North-East GPs said they would be less likely to refer people with suspected dementia for a diagnosis if there is not enough local support in place.

A Department of Health spokesman said dementia training has already been given to 600,000 NHS and social care staff nationally and diagnosis rates are now amongst the highest in the world.

He added: "After a diagnosis, we are already expanding access to named clinicians and dementia advisers to help patients and their families, and giving the option of personal budgets - and we want to see these things being offered across the NHS.”