Their findings have been presented to the authors of a major joint report to be published by the NHS Confederation, Age UK and the Local Government Association.

In one interview, each of which lasted 40 minutes, a consultant appeared to criticise dementia patients because they could not do anything for themselves.

The consultant said: They wont feed themselves, they cant get out of bed themselves, you cant be sure theyre drinking, theyre often incontinent.

The more of that patient group you have, the less care the others are going to get. They are hugely sapping of our scarce resources.

On another occasion observers watched as they saw an elderly man with dementia in tears being reprimanded by a nurse for losing more weight.

The researchers wrote: Not one member of staff offers any comfort or reassurance. The staff nurse tuts and reprimands him for losing more weight.

Prof Gladman, who specialises in care of the elderly, said most of the staff had not been trained to look after dementia sufferers and often make it up as they go along.

He said: Some people said they had never had any training at all. People said they knew the causes of dementia they could tell you microscopic changes that happen to patients but they didnt know what to do. They sort of make it up as they go along.

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Medical staff lack dementia training, new report finds