BBC Correspondent Peter Hunt: Relatives were sympathetic but concerned

The hospitals, which have not yet been hit by the flu outbreak sweeping the country, are already on red alert.

Between Christmas and New Year the Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Queen Alexandra and St Mary's hospitals in the region, said it placed notes on lockers in the wards asking people if they could help look after their sick relatives while they were in hospital.

A spokeswoman for the trust said the move came after hospital managers met to discuss how they could relieve pressure on staff over the busy winter period.

Formal basis

She said relatives already brought in extra food and drink for patients and helped look after them.

Niall Dickson: In Portsmouth as throughout the UK, needs are immediate, and solutions long-term

"It is just putting it on a more formal basis because people do it anyway. It is a natural extension of what people do for their family members," she stated.

The trust says many people have responded positively to the notes already and some other local people have rung offering their help because of media coverage of the hospitals' problems.

It states that it has received no complaints about its new policy.

Richard Bishop, chief executive of the trust, defended the decision.

"We positively encourage all relatives in the care of their loved ones," he said.

The spokeswoman said the winter problems were no worse than usual this year and the flu outbreak had not yet hit the region.

"If the flu did spread here it would be a problem," she said.

"Staff are already tired and are working extra shifts."

Most of the growth in emergency admissions is due to heart attacks, pneumonia and respiratory illness.

Health Secretary Frank Dobson said he was "sorry" the trust had felt the need to take such action.

"I wish that it wasn't necessary," he said.

Disturbing

Ben Griffiths, a policy officer for the Association of Community Health Councils, said he had heard of relatives and visitors being asked to feed patients before, but had not heard of them being asked to shave and wash patients.

"The NHS was created to get away from the idea that healthcare is a matter of charity, but it seems to be moving back that way. It is very disturbing," he said.

He said most relatives would probably not want to complain about being asked to help out, but he said it was increasing the burden on them.

"There is a danger that the NHS is increasingly running on the assumption that it can draw on the goodwill of visitors and carers," he said, adding that there was a danger that functions like feeding and washing patients would become undervalued as a result.

NHS managers say the winter crisis is due to years of cutbacks in bed numbers and underfunding of the health service.