The clinical assessment of a patient needs to be impeccable, comprehensive, systematic and ongoing; however barriers to this often exist, such as lack of time and training. [1] As with the principles of person centred care in dementia, assessment needs to be tailored and individualised to the patient.
A structured approach to assessment often involves using clinical assessment tools which should be used appropriately and with caution, and not as a substitute for a comprehensive, holistic assessment. [1] Tools should also be reliable and valid, and not adapted to meet local needs unless they are re-validated within that population or setting. [2]