Corridor care in hospitals - our response
NHS England's latest monthly performance statistics, published today, includes data on corridor care in hospitals for the first time.
Responding to the announcement, Chris McCann, Acting Chief Executive at Healthwatch England said:
"NHS England has today published figures on the number of people experiencing ‘corridor care’ – waiting or being treated in clinically unsuitable spaces for more than 45 minutes.
"The fact that nearly 3,000 people a day endured corridor care last month – waiting or being treated in clinically unsuitable spaces like public hospital corridors, cupboards or other areas with no direct access to oxygen, privacy curtains or nearby nursing stations – is a shocking reflection of current pressures on the NHS.
"We first called for transparency about the number of patients affected nearly a year and a half ago. Our efforts, along with those of nursing leaders and other bodies, mean that this is now being treated as a top priority.
"Now that we can see the scale of the problem, it’s imperative that hospital leaders use these figures to drive local plans to eradicate this shameful practice."
