A new style of care unit is to be created for elderly patients in an attempt to relieve pressure on hospital beds, health secretary Alan Milburn has announced.

Plans for the new system - which is intended to relieve pressure on acute NHS beds - were unveiled during a speech to the King's Fund in London on Wednesday.

Mr Milburn said that the new wards will act as a bridge between hospital care and recovering at home.

They will be set up in existing cottage hospitals, and in new facilities which will be built with the help of the Private Finance Initiative, he said.

Some of the wards will be staffed by the newly-conceived rank of nursing consultants. The possibility of using home-based treatments will also be explored.

Over 65-year-olds

Mr Milburn highlighted figures which showed that two thirds of hospital beds are occupied by over 65-year-olds.

And he said that the past few weeks and the flu crisis had marked a turning point for health care in the UK.

He said: "Arguably it has been one of the most significant periods in the history of the National Health Service since its inception.

"We have seen enormous pressures on the service and, sadly, some patients not getting the treatment they deserved. Most have, but that has gone largely unreported.

'Tremendous efforts'

"We have seen the tremendous efforts of NHS staff ill-rewarded by those determined to pronounce the NHS past its sell-by date.

"We have seen the Prime Minister's historic declaration that by managing the economy properly we will be able to sustain increases in NHS funding that, over time, will bring our country's spending up to the level of the EU average."

Mr Milburn said the new level of intermediate care for the elderly would take various forms but added: "In many cases we'll have to build new facilities. There will be a new role for private finance here, although of course the care that is provided will be free.

"Indeed there is no reason why the NHS should not be collaborating with independent sector and other providers in developing new innovative forms of intermediate care."

Jonathan Ellis, of Help the Aged's Dignity on the Ward campaign, said that extra provision for the elderly was to be welcomed, but questioned how it would be funded.

'Raw deal'

He said: "For far too long older people have been given a raw deal by the NHS. These specialist rehabilitation wards could sound a welcome note after a long, hard winter for the vulnerable older people.

"They could be an important step in improving care for older patients.

"But Help the Aged has serious concerns about how the government is proposing to fund these new services. In particular, the suggestion of Lottery funding to meet such core need strikes a very disturbing note.

Help the Aged will be watching very closely to make sure these proposals become a reality and guarantee the quality care older people need so desperately."