The NHS is to send thousands of hospital patients home sooner in a bid to end a “long stay” culture on the wards, the head of the service will say today.

Simon Stevens will pledge to cut long stays in hospital by one quarter, to free up beds for those most in need.

Nearly 350,000 patients spend at least three weeks stuck on a ward each year. They take up one fifth of all beds – the equivalent of 36 hospitals.

Officials say too many elderly people are being forced to endure miserable stays on wards, which strip too many of their independence and mobility – often permanently – when what they need is help at home.

Today Mr Stevens will order hospitals to do more to ensure patients can be sent home sooner, with the right help. Trusts will be told to speed up assessments so more patients can be discharged at weekends, instead of being stuck waiting for checks by care workers. Hospitals will be told to carry out more routine treatment as day cases.