Cognitive Health
Cognitive screening versus waiting for a memory clinic
Written by Mr Stephen LingamReviewed by Prof Arshad Rather (GMC 6035767) on
A name slips that never used to. Or you notice a parent losing their way in a kitchen they've known for decades. Or dementia runs in your family, and you'd simply like to know where you stand.
Private cognitive screening gives you a measured look at your thinking, your brain structure and your blood chemistry as they are today. It suits people who feel well and want a baseline, and people with a subtle concern they'd like a specialist to measure. When memory changes are already affecting daily life, a memory clinic offers a full diagnostic assessment, and our sister practice runs one in the same building.
Our Alzheimer's Risk assessment at 117a Harley Street is currently £2,499. It's led by a dementia specialist and includes a brain MRI on a dedicated dementia protocol. You can see the full protocol on our cognitive screening page, or call 020 7183 7056. No GP referral is needed to enquire.
If someone is suddenly confused, or shows signs of a stroke such as face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech or sudden loss of vision, call 999 and don't drive them yourself.
What's included in cognitive screening?
The visit is specialist-led from start to finish. It includes a consultation with a dementia consultant specialist, a detailed history and neurological examination, and cognitive testing with MoCA and CNS Vital Signs. You'll also have a brain MRI on a dedicated dementia protocol, followed by a review with the specialist and a personalised plan.
MoCA is a cognitive screen carried out by a clinician, and CNS Vital Signs is a computerised battery of tests. Together with the examination and the MRI, they give a structured look at thinking and brain structure in one conversation.
The bloods are a full blood count, full lipid profile, HbA1c, thyroid, high-sensitivity CRP, homocysteine, B12, folate, vitamin D, APOE genotyping and pTau-217. They can show anaemia, thyroid change, B12 deficiency, glucose control and inflammation, plus two pieces of Alzheimer-related information.
Optional amyloid PET is listed as an add-on at £2,500. It's a nuclear-medicine scan that shows amyloid in the brain, and it's worth asking about if your specialist thinks that extra picture would change the plan.
What do APOE and pTau-217 tell you?
APOE genotyping describes a genetic risk pattern rather than a disease you already have. pTau-217 is a blood biomarker that a specialist reads alongside your history, examination, cognitive scores and MRI. Each is one piece of the picture, and a laboratory flag is a reason for discussion rather than a diagnosis.
The wider context matters too. There's no NHS dementia screening programme, APOE testing isn't routinely recommended, and pTau-217 has mainly been validated in people who already have symptoms. That's exactly why these results are read by a specialist who has examined you.
Cognitive scores need the same care. NICE dementia guidance (NG97) treats cognitive assessment as one part of a wider clinical picture, and says a normal score doesn't rule dementia out on its own. A lower score isn't a diagnosis either. Depression, anxiety, sleep, medicines, hearing loss and other medical problems can all cloud a result.
How does this compare with an NHS assessment?
NICE NG97 covers assessment, diagnosis and support for people living with dementia and their carers. In the NHS, a GP often starts with a history, an examination, bloods to look for other causes of memory problems, and a cognitive test.
NHS.uk points out that memory problems don't necessarily mean dementia. It lists depression, anxiety, delirium from an infection, an underactive thyroid and medicine side effects among other explanations. If dementia is still suspected, the GP may refer to a specialist such as an old-age psychiatrist, a geriatrician or a neurologist, sometimes working in a memory clinic.
Private cognitive screening uses some of the same tools: a neurological examination, validated cognitive tests, structural MRI and targeted bloods. If a new tablet, an infection, low mood or a hearing problem might be behind the change, your GP is a good first stop for that general review. Delirium from an infection, a new medicine or an acute illness can look like a memory problem, and it needs urgent medical assessment.
A Health MOT does a different job: a whole-person preventative check with lipids, blood pressure and, on higher tiers, hormones or MRI of more than the brain. If that's what you're after, it's booked as its own appointment.
When is a memory clinic the right next step?
Come to a memory clinic when memory or thinking changes are persistent and already affecting daily life. People often come because work, finances, medication or safety at home have started to slip. Sometimes planning, language or decisions have become an effort in a way that's new. Or a partner or adult child is sure something has moved beyond ordinary ageing. NHS.uk describes this specialist assessment as something a GP may arrange once other causes have been considered.
| What is happening | Where to go | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| Sudden confusion, stroke symptoms, a seizure or collapse | 999 or A&E | Emergency care |
| A subtle concern, a family history, or wanting a baseline | Cognitive screening | Specialist consultation, MoCA, dementia-protocol brain MRI and the published bloods |
| Persistent decline that already affects daily life | Memory clinic | A full diagnostic assessment |
Our sister practice in the same building, Medical Express Clinic, runs a consultant memory clinic with Prof Rather. You'll find the details on its memory clinic page. Appointments there are arranged in advance, as it isn't a same-day walk-in service.
Not sure which you need? Contact us and tell us two things: whether daily life is already affected, and whether the change came on suddenly.
Who will see you?
Our consultants page introduces the clinical team, including Prof Arshad Rather, Consultant Geriatrician and General Physician. The specialist who examines you is the one who explains any abnormal score, marker or scan, and agrees what happens next.
Preparing for the visit
- Bring a list of medicines, previous bloods and scans, and if possible a relative's note of what has changed.
- Tell us whether the appointment is for you or for a relative.
- Ask whether a family member should sit in with you.
- Our FAQ answers common questions about age, APOE and how this visit differs from a standard memory test.
When you're ready, you can book online or read the full details on our cognitive screening page. If family history is behind your question, read family history and package choice. For what a scan can show that nobody was looking for, see incidental findings on a private scan.
Frequently asked questions
Is cognitive screening the same as a memory clinic?
They do different jobs. Screening here is a specialist-led protocol that measures current thinking, brain structure on a dementia-protocol MRI and targeted bloods. A memory clinic gives a diagnostic assessment when decline is persistent and already affects daily life.
What does the screening visit include?
A specialist consultation, neurological examination, MoCA, CNS Vital Signs, brain MRI with a dementia protocol, and a specialist review. Bloods include full blood count, lipids, HbA1c, thyroid, high-sensitivity CRP, homocysteine, B12, folate, vitamin D, APOE genotyping and pTau-217.
How much does the main package cost?
The Alzheimer's Risk assessment is currently £2,499, and optional amyloid PET is listed at £2,500. Confirm current fees with the clinic when you enquire.
Does APOE or pTau-217 diagnose Alzheimer's disease?
No. APOE describes a genetic risk pattern, and pTau-217 is a biomarker a specialist reads with the rest of the assessment.
I am suddenly confused. Should I book screening?
Call 999 or go to A&E for sudden confusion, stroke symptoms or severe illness. NHS 111 can advise when it's urgent but not life-threatening.
When is a memory clinic the better choice?
When memory or thinking changes are persistent, already affect daily life, and you'd like a full diagnostic assessment.
Do I need a GP referral for screening here?
No GP referral is needed to enquire. Your GP is still a good person to see if routine bloods, a medicine review or a possible infection haven't yet been looked at.
Sources
- NICE. Dementia: assessment, management and support for people living with dementia and their carers (NG97)
- NHS. How to get a dementia diagnosis
- NHS. Stroke symptoms
- NHS. NHS 111
- NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries. Dementia, assessment
- General Medical Council. Medical register, Arshad Rather, 6035767
- Health Screening Clinic. Cognitive screening
- Medical Express Clinic. Memory clinic
Related screening
Stephen Lingam
Managing Director
Managing Director of Medical Express Clinic and the Health Screening Clinic since 1984. Over 40 years of operational experience in private healthcare on Harley Street, overseeing patient care, clinical standards, and service delivery.
Prof Arshad Rather
MRCP, SCE Geriatric Medicine
Consultant Geriatrician and General Physician
GMC: 6035767
Prof Rather is a distinguished consultant geriatrician and general physician, renowned for his comprehensive expertise in managing complex medical conditions in older adults.
Last reviewed: 25/09/2026