Ken Crawford, of Harberton, Totnes, writes: Family doctors in England are to be paid £55 for each patient they diagnose with dementia in a six-month, £5m scheme. Do we need to pay this? Probably not. Diagnosing dementia is difficult, with many conditions displaying the same symptoms, from hearing loss to urinary infections. We need to fund better initial diagnosis. The universities of Plymouth and Cambridge have developed diagnostic tools that work on an iPad or tablet, with early trials showing good results on patients who show no ­outward signs of dementia. Perhaps this is where the money needs to be channelled. What do we do when people are diagnosed? In Devon they are assigned a dementia ­support worker with initial ­contact and follow-up phone calls. Devon Senior Voice, with other partners, also participates in the network of more than 40 memory cafes that provide ­support. But should we channel more funding into family support, such as that given by Admiral Nurses, specialist dementia nurses currently centred in the South East, West Midlands and the North West? Medical advances are moving towards there being a cure. The World Dementia Council has named 2025 as the target date for a cure. So as many people as possible need to be diagnosed now. Our treatments do have a delaying effect, giving sometimes up to 15 years of active life if diagnosed early. What about palliative care and support for the family? All these need extra funding.