One ward at Brighton General Hospital is more like a nursing home than part of a hospital.

It is full of people who should be in care homes but no place can be found for them.

Meanwhile, dozens of operations, including some for patients with cancer, are being cancelled because no beds are available.

This crazy crisis sums up all that is wrong with the NHS in Britain today.

The main problem is care homes are closing every week in Brighton and Hove - for two reasons.

One is the homes, often based in old buildings, cannot conform with new legislation which takes no account of this.

The other is that Brighton and Hove social services department cannot afford to pay the homes the amount they need to look after the patients.

The solution is simple. The Government should increase its grant to social services so it can increase payments to care homes.

The money can be recouped at hospitals such as Brighton General which are paying far more than any care home to look after the pensioners.

Bed-blocking is crippling the NHS. It is not good for the old people who would be far more suited to care homes or even being in their own homes with support.

Meanwhile, desperately-ill people are being denied the treatment they need because no hospital bed is available.