The King's Fund responds to Official Statistics on Corridor Care and latest performance statistics from NHSE

Responding to the inaugural publication of Official Statistics on Corridor Care and latest performance statistics from NHS England, Siva Anandaciva, Director of Policy, Events and Partnerships at The King’s Fund, said: 

‘These figures confirm the scale of something that should never have been normalised in the NHS. Patients are routinely being treated in hospital corridors, without privacy or dignity. Pressure across the whole health and care system is spilling into A&E.

The sheer scale of corridor care in the NHS is deeply concerning, equating to 3 in every 100 who attended an Accident and Emergency Department every day.

‘It is a positive step to have these data in the public domain to increase the visibility of corridor care. But we have had data on long waits in other parts of the NHS for decades – including A&E departments - and it has done little to stop their rise.

‘Despite the extraordinary efforts of staff, corridor care is one of the most visible signs of how patient safety and experience are being compromised in the NHS. It is distressing for staff when they cannot deliver the care they want for their patients and it is equally unacceptable when patients are left feeling forgotten and vulnerable at the time they most need to feel safe and cared for.’

‘Last month we saw how much of a priority elective care was for the government and it was impressive to see this interim target being met. It is worrying then that today’s waiting list figures are once again going in the wrong direction. The worry now will be if instability created by fresh strike action by resident doctors in the coming days will throw the NHS further off course

‘With the waiting list growing this month, and today’s figures also showing unrelenting pressure on A&E and ambulance services, questions remain about whether other national standards, like the four-hour A&E and referral to treatment targets, will be met and whether this government will succeed in eliminating corridor care by 2029.’

Notes to editors