Every GP will be trained to spot the early signs of dementia under government plans to improve the quality of life of those with Alzheimer’s disease.

Towns will have memory clinics where patients can get treatment and support to give them up-to-date care on an unprecedented scale, Phil Hope, the Care Services Minister said.

“We want to see every GP trained to recognise the symptoms of early dementia and patients referred to specialist services in every area where they would get a proper diagnosis,” Mr Hope said.

“As well as national training for GPs, we’d like to see memory clinics in every town where people can go for treatment and support to help them live their life as normally as possible.”

A least 700,000 people in the UK live with some form of dementia, and 355,000 of those have no support from the NHS or social services, including home help or respite care. Mr Hope wants to transform care for those with dementia in order to do away with the stigma attached to such illnesses. Figures suggest that there is a £540million black hole in funding for dementia patients.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, welcomed the move. “ For many dementia patients there is no clear post-diagnosis path - in contrast with other conditions like cancer,” she said. “Dementia research is still severely underfunded, receiving eight times less Government research funding than cancer. If we don’t act now on research, dementia will cost the UK economy £50 billion annually within 30 years.”

The national dementia strategy, to be launched next month, will provide early intervention, provide better care and could save nearly £1billion, Mr Hope said.

Geriatricians, psychiatrists and local GPs who have a specialist interest - working in partnership with the voluntary sector - will provide services, he added.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: “The Department of Health will work with all relevant medical and nursing organisations - including the Royal College of GPs, Skills for Care and the NHS – to make sure that appropriate training is provided for medical students, and we will create opportunities for post-graduate education and training in dementia.”

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