Ministers believe the basic training in dementia awareness is relevant to anyone working in a public environment, such as shops, transport and banks.

Speaking at the event in East London, the Prime Minister urged businesses to join his national fightback against dementia.

Mr Cameron said companies should do more to make people with dementia able to use their services.

He declared that tackling the disease, which is thought to affect 670,000 people in England, was one of his personal priorities.

Dementia is a terrible, heart breaking disease, he said. Tackling it is a personal priority of mine.

Already 20 big organisations like Lloyds Group, Tesco and E.On have signed up to become more dementia-friendly and over the coming months I want to see many more follow suit.

For the sake of millions in our country weve got to keep this spirit of energy and defiance alive.

Were going to keep searching for treatments, keep looking for ways to make life easier for those with this disease and keep taking the fight to dementia.

Mr Cameron urged young volunteers with the National Citizen Service to help sufferers in care homes.

The youngsters aged 16 and 17 are being asked to help dementia patients take part in craft activities and to take them on trips out of care homes.

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Shop staff will be trained to help dementia sufferers