Thousands of NHS patients will be moved into care homes under Government plans to ease crippling pressures on the health service.
Amid crisis scenes in emergency care, Health Secretary Steve Barclay will today unveil a emergency winter package to alleviate the intense pressures on A&E and ambulance services.
Ministers have earmarked £250million to upgrade hospitals and buy up thousands of extra beds in care homes for patients who are well enough to be discharged - to free up space on hospital wards and speed up ambulance handovers.