Shoppers paying for carrier bags at the supermarket have spent enough to donate £3,800 to help homeless patients at the Royal London Hospital get through winter.

They used tokens at Tesco stores to ‘vote’ for charities to get donations and chose the homeless charity Pathway.

“The money is for toiletries and warm clothes for when homeless patients are discharged,” the hospital homeless support team’s Dr Peter Buchman said.

“This will make a huge difference with life-changing care to our most vulnerable patients.”

The Royal London team helps them find accommodation, sort out financial problems and reconnect with lost family.

Many would be forced to sleep rough after treatment without their help and become trapped in a cycle of illness and hospital readmission.

Now they have toiletries and pyjamas during their stay and warm clothes when leaving, some with bedding and crockery if they are moving into a home for the first time.