NHS England publishes first official data on corridor care, nearly 3,000 patients daily
7 reported1 unconfirmed
Official figures published for the first time by NHS England show that nearly 3,000 patients a day in England are receiving care in hospital corridors due to a lack of available beds in A&E units. The data, covering May, recorded an average of 2,241 instances daily of a patient receiving corridor care in a clinically inappropriate setting for more than 45 minutes within an A&E unit. An additional 699 patients per day received care in other inappropriate settings, including cupboards, car parks, or toilets. The criteria for determining a clinically inappropriate setting include lack of privacy, access to basic amenities such as food and water, and noise levels that prevent sleep or dimmed lighting. The data also revealed regional disparities, with only 20 NHS trusts accounting for more than half of the corridor care cases in A&E departments. Dr Ian Higginson, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, called corridor care a “national scandal” but expressed doubts about the accuracy and scope of the data, suggesting it may not capture the full scale of the problem.
What’s reported
An average of 2,241 patients per day in May received corridor care in a clinically inappropriate setting for more than 45 minutes within an A&E unit.
A further 699 patients per day received care in other inappropriate settings, including cupboards, car parks, or toilets.
Only 20 NHS trusts accounted for more than half of the corridor care cases in A&E departments.
The overall hospital waiting list rose to 7.22 million in May, up from 7.11 million in March.
99,781 people had been waiting over a year for routine treatment by early May, up from 94,406 at the end of March.
Dr Ian Higginson expressed concerns about the accuracy of the data and the potential for trusts to “game the system.”
Health Secretary James Murray said ending corridor care “will take time” and that different areas will need different solutions.
Open questions
The source article does not specify which 20 NHS trusts account for the majority of corridor care cases, nor does it detail the specific solutions being considered to end the practice.
Key figures
Dr Ian Higginson, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine
James Murray, health secretary
Prof Francesca Swords, national medical director for the NHS
Sources: The Guardian
