EXCLUSIVE: Care homes were used as a "dumping ground" at the start of the pandemic, according to NHS whistleblowers we& #39;ve spoken to.

Govt has always denied large numbers of patients were discharged from hospitals into homes without testing, but these men took up to 200 each.

Our 3 whistleblowers work in patient transport and claim many patients clearly had Covid symptoms.

"Some of them you could tell if they were sweating, if there was coughing. And when we& #39;d get to the nursing homes they& #39;d say & #39;Are they positive?& #39; and we& #39;d say & #39;I don& #39;t know& #39;."

Data we& #39;ve been leaked from an NHS trust one of our whistleblowers works for shows the percentage of discharges into homes doubled from mid-March to April.

"There was pressure to get them out...I have to look at it that they threw the elderly to one side."

When I put all this to the Health Sec he said discharging is one lesson "we& #39;ve learnt".

But as I reported last week homes are being asked to take Covid patients again. Vital changes tho:

- They& #39;re now all tested
- No home *has* to take them
- PPE, infection control improved

This is the first time that NHS staff have spoken out to corroborate the stories we& #39;ve heard from countless care homes during the pandemic.

Their testimony plays an important part in understanding what happened. Full report @itvnews at 10. And more here: https://www.itv.com/news/2020-09-21/care-homes-used-as-dumping-ground-for-hospital-patients-during-coronavirus-pandemic-whistleblowers-reveal">https://www.itv.com/news/2020...