Plans to place patients in private houses to recuperate from operations have been criticised by a leading Kent carer.

Under a trial scheme being compared to "Airbnb" the NHS is aiming to tackle bed shortages in the social care sector and alleviate the problems of bed blocking.

Carers could be paid £1,000 to look after vulnerable patients.

Nadra Ahmed, who is chairman of the Rochester-based National Care Association, said: “This will need to be examined very closely.

"There are too many anomalies in it and too many ‘buts’ and ‘maybes’.”

“To put someone who has just come out of hospital and may be vulnerable but well enough to go home into the care of someone who is not qualified and will assume that giving them three meals a day and a quick chat is going to be enough is very naive.

“It really does surprise me because I think it is a use of money which is totally inappropriate.

"We should use this money to support the social care sector and provide 24-hour care and that is not out of the realms of possibility.”

She added, however, it would be worth examining to assess whether it may work.

“In principle it is a good idea but if we worked on it in a way to support the social care sector in a positive way rather than as a cost-cutting measure.

“Anything that is innovative and might lead to solutions is positive but I just think this is ill-thought through and ill-timed.

"How would you feel about going into a stranger's home and relying on their goodwill knowing that they are being paid to care for you?”

She also questioned whether there would be formal scrutiny of carers.

“Everybody else has to provide regulated services so is this going to be regulated?

"If so who's going to pay for the registration of it? Is the NHS going to keep an eye on these individuals?

"If so that is a hidden cost which has not been calculated.”

Bed blocking has increased by 40% in the last year and continues to cause major problem in many areas because of the lack of care homes.

Kent County Council said last year 4,509 days were lost in December to patients who were medically fit but whose transfer was delayed.

In the same month for the previous year, 2,331 days were lost.