Efforts have been made to increase flu jab uptake

It is hoped the availability of 400 additional acute care hospital beds and 600 extra beds in nursing and residential homes will ease the problem of "bed blocking".

The increase in capacity for the winter will see 500 additional nursing staff and 35 extra medical staff across the NHS in Scotland.

A total of �60m of the �481m increase in the health budget announced last year has been specifically targeted at winter and related issues, according to the executive.

An additional �11m was distributed to NHS Boards in September this year to help boost winter plans and allow extra services to be provided during times of peak demand.

Another major plank of effort to cope with the winter pressures is the �10m flu immunisation campaign which has an increased target uptake of vaccination in those aged 65 and over to 65% - up from 60% last year.

Mr Jones said: "The impact of winter on the NHS is obvious; you get more colds, more flu, more respiratory diseases, more accidents, people falling on pavements, and inevitably that produces more pressure on the NHS.

Key areas have been targeted

"We know that's going to happen, so we have a very sophisticated planning process for the winter."

He added: "In our view I think we have the winter plans as well prepared as they have ever been, they are the best plans ever at this point in time."

The health service's plans are being co-ordinated by the winter panel, made up of NHS, local authority and health department officials.

It emerged from the Winter Performance Group, itself set up in the wake of the exceptionally tough winter of 1999/2000.

Panel chairman Neil Campbell said: "Nobody in the NHS has a crystal ball or is able to predict the future, but what we do have now is two years of co-ordinated planning in the NHS in Scotland plus three years of reviewing the effects of winter on the NHS, and that does help us to take a forward look to managing winter."