The new snapshot survey by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) gathered responses from almost a thousand (961) physicians across the UK, spanning a wide range of specialties - including cardiology, respiratory medicine, and general internal medicine - who report firsthand the challenges of delivering care in temporary spaces.
Dr John Dean, RCP clinical vice president, said: ‘These findings confirm what doctors across the NHS already know - corridor care is becoming routine, and that is simply unacceptable. Treating patients in inappropriate spaces compromises their dignity, safety, and quality of care, while also placing enormous strain on staff. No doctor should have to resuscitate a patient in a blocked corridor or watch patients spend their final hours in undignified conditions.'
Respondents said 45% of care in unsuitable locations was provided in corridors, with 27% in additional beds or chairs in patient bays, 13% in wards without dedicated bed space, 9% in waiting rooms and 4.5% in another location not designed for patient care such as a bathroom
Nine in 10 doctors (90%) reported compromised patient privacy and dignity, while 81% faced physical difficulties delivering care. Additionally, 75% struggled with access to vital equipment or facilities and 58% saw patient safety directly compromised. The impact on doctors themselves was also significant, with 61% reporting increased personal stress.
Dr Dean added: ‘NHS England's decision to start recording data on this crisis is a step in the right direction, but it must be made public and acted upon urgently. We need systemic reforms to expand capacity, improve patient flow, protect patient safety, and ensure that corridor care is eliminated - not normalised.'
Reaction
Health and social care spokesperson Helen Morgan said: ‘Hearing stories of people dying in glorified cupboards or having to be resuscitated in crowded corridors is heartbreaking and we should never accept that this is just the way things are now.
‘Patients cannot take any more of the can being kicked down the road. We need to see the Government's social care review completed within a year to free up hospital beds and get people out of A&E waiting rooms to prevent this from ever happening again.'
Rory Deighton, acute director at the NHS Confederation, said: ‘Delays discharging patients out of hospital beds has led to long waits in A&E departments and ambulance handover delays – creating bottlenecks in hospital systems. We must make sure that the NHS does not face another winter like the last few, which have been some of the worst in its history. Tackling corridor care will take a concerted effort across the health and social care systems so that patient flow in and out of hospitals can be improved.'
An NHS spokesperson said: ‘Increasing levels of demand have resulted in extreme pressures on services, particularly during one of the toughest winters the NHS has experienced – but we remain clear that caring for patients in temporary spaces is not acceptable and should never be considered as standard.
‘We know there is much more to do to ensure people get treated quicker in an emergency and avoid being admitted to A&E unless they need to and when there, provide faster and safer care for patients.'
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘It is shocking that corridor care has become a feature of our NHS. Despite the best efforts of staff, patients are receiving unacceptable standards of treatment.
‘This Government has taken decisive action over the past six months to ease pressure on the NHS, including ending the resident doctor strikes so staff are on the frontline, not the picket line for the first winter in three years, and we are providing funding to reduce avoidable admissions to hospital and delayed discharges.
‘We will deliver the reform and investment through our Plan for Change so the NHS is there for us when we need it, once again.'
