In an attempt to free up beds, in England, patients have been discharged overnight and investigations are on after this was revealed seeing the figures.

It was seen via Freedom of Information requests, between 23:00 to 06:00 last year about 239,233 people were discharged by 100 NHS trusts.

According to NHS medical director Prof Sir Bruce Keogh, it is advisable to send patients home only after it is confirmed that it is safe to do so.

In England about 170 NHS trusts were contacted to get the real figures but response came only from 100 trusts and rest did not respond.

There was a wide variation between the various trusts when it came to discharging the number of patients.

It was seen that about 3.5 per cent of the discharges happened between the above time and for about five years this rate still exists.

About 8.7 per cent of people were discharged overnight by Derby Hospitals Foundation Trust but it stated that the records were not right that stated so.

Prof Sir Bruce said, “I am concerned to hear that some patients may be being discharged unnecessarily late. Patients should only be discharged when it's clinically appropriate, safe and convenient for them and their families.”