Corridor care in hospital an 'everyday reality' no longer confined to winter, doctors say

Corridor care in hospitals is now an ‘everyday reality’ that is no longer confined to winter, a damning survey of doctors reveals.

Three in five medics said they cared for patients in temporary spaces such as corridors, offices and cupboards this summer.

And this is compromising patient privacy, dignity and confidentiality, many admitted.

Some are so distressed that the standard of care in the NHS has plummeted to such lows that they are considering retiring early, they told the Royal College of Physicians.

Its poll of 553 doctors found 59 per cent had cared for patients in temporary spaces between June and August.

Of the 328 medics who said they had delivered so-called ‘corridor care’, 72 per cent said they had felt forced to do so.

Some 45 per cent said this happened daily or almost daily, and two thirds (66 per cent) reported feeling this was ‘the new norm’.

More than nine in 10 (94 per cent) admitted patient privacy and dignity had been compromised, while 84 per cent said they felt patient confidentiality was at risk.

Meanwhile, 8 per cent of doctors said they had considered leaving their role due to the experience.

Dr Hilary Williams, RCP clinical vice president, said: ‘Delivering care in corridors and other temporary spaces has sadly become an everyday reality for many doctors, placing immense physical and emotional strain on staff.

‘Patients deserve better. They should receive care in safe, private, and properly equipped environments.

‘Lasting change requires urgent systemic action.

‘Strengthening social care, improving patient flow, and expanding alternatives to hospital admission within the community, such as hospital-at-home programmes, are essential.’

One medic described treating patients – one of whom had a brain abscess – in front of a vending machine as ‘a new low’.

Doctors also issued a warning ahead of the colder months, with one saying: ‘Extra patients on the ward in areas not equipped for looking after patients has become normal.

‘This is summer, it can only get worse over winter.’

Dr Zuzanna Sawicka, RCP clinical director for patient safety and clinical standards, said: ‘No doctor should be delivering care next to a vending machine, yet this is what our members have told us.

'Our survey findings show corridor care has become the reality for too many.

‘This is not the standard of care doctors are trained to deliver, nor is it the standard patients deserve.’

Patricia Marquis, executive director of the Royal College of Nursing, said: ‘This testimony from doctors matches what we have been hearing from nursing staff.

‘Corridor care is a year-round, 24/7 problem and there has been no respite in the summer months.

‘Corridor care is unsafe and undignified for patients and demoralising for the healthcare staff forced to care in these circumstances.

‘It is now more than a year since nursing staff first sounded the alarm on this crisis and the disaster in our hospitals shows little sign of improvement.

‘This is a critical moment and without urgent action entire hospitals risk being overwhelmed this winter.

‘Ministers and healthcare leaders promised action, including the publication of data on where corridor care is happening.

‘They are yet to make good on their promises. This lack of transparency has let staff down and put patients at risk.

'Without urgent action to reduce pressure across the whole system, including improved investment in services outside of hospitals and the staff that work in them, corridor care looks set to continue.’

Rory Deighton, acute and community care director at the NHS Confederation, said the RCP’s findings paint ‘a deeply worrying picture of the use of corridor care and its impact on staff’.

‘Corridor care has often been used as a last resort in winter to increase hospital capacity in the face of surging demand,’ he added.

‘But with the most recent data showing that the health service has been seeing incredibly high demand over the summer months as well, it is unfortunately not surprising to hear that NHS staff have been left with little choice but to use temporary areas to treat patients.

‘There is no easy fix, but the NHS and partners are working incredibly hard to bolster community support to care for people closer to home and reduce demand on hospitals.

‘The lack of suitable infrastructure for surge capacity is a challenge for some hospitals, which is why we’ve been urging the government to allow private capital investment into more parts of the NHS – including the acute sector – in order to build new facilities.’

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘It is shocking corridor care has become a feature of the NHS and we are working at pace to turn around more than a decade of neglect.

‘Despite NHS Accident and Emergency departments facing their busiest August ever, ambulance response times and handovers are the fastest they have been since the pandemic.

'To prepare our health service this winter we are expanding urgent and emergency capacity and upgrading hundreds of ambulances across the country – backed by an extra £450 million.

‘We are also ensuring vulnerable people are protected from Covid and flu through our vaccine programme – and we are working with NHS leaders this winter to implement robust plans for their patients.’