EXCLUSIVE: Care homes were used as a "dumping ground" at the start of the pandemic, according to NHS whistleblowers we'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'd get to the nursing homes they'd say 'Are they positive?' and we'd say 'I don't know'."

Data we'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've learnt".

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

- They'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'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