Almost four in five doctors forced to provide corridor care in past month

Almost four in five NHS doctors have been forced to provide care in the likes of corridors, chairs and waiting rooms in the past month, according to a poll.

Medics told the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) the issue is impacting patient safety, privacy and dignity, with one describing corridor care as a “travesty”.

The snapshot survey of 961 medics across the UK found 78% had provided care in a temporary environment in the past month.

Of the 889 doctors who gave further details on where care was given, some 45% said corridors, while 27% said it was delivered in additional beds or chairs in patient bays.

Some 13% said they had given care in wards without a dedicated bed space, while 9% had cared for patients in waiting rooms.

A further 4.5% said they had used spaces “not designed for patient care” such as bathrooms.

Dr John Dean, clinical vice president at the RCP, 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.”

Nine in 10 doctors said delivering care in these locations compromised patient privacy and dignity, while three quarters struggled to access vital equipment or facilities.

Almost six in 10 (58%) said patient safety had been directly compromised.

One medic that responded to the poll said: “I have had more than one patient die directly as a result of not being in an appropriate clinical area — on a trolley in the corridor rather than in resus, as there was no room for them.”

Another described corridor care as a “travesty”.

The poll follows a damning report published by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in January, which said patients are dying in corridors and sometimes going undiscovered for hours while sick people are being left to soil themselves.

The experiences of more than 5,000 nursing staff across the UK were gathered for the 460-page document.

Last year, NHS England said it would start recording data on on the use of temporary escalation spaces across all NHS trusts from January 2025.

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.”

Published: 26/02/2025 by Radio NewsHub