Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP
Secretary of State
Department for Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU

16 October 2026

Dear Secretary of State,

Congratulations on your appointment as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

We are writing on behalf of the Corridor Care Coalition, a group of 16 organisations representing healthcare professionals, patients, families and carers across England. The Coalition was established for one shared objective: ending the unsafe and undignified practice of patient care being delivered in inappropriate care environments.

The Prime Minister's decision to highlight corridor care during his Labour Party Conference speech demonstrates the growing recognition across government that this issue requires urgent action. As the coalition bringing together the expertise, evidence and lived experience of patients, families, carers and frontline staff, we welcome this recognition and look forward to working with you to bring an end to corridor care.

Corridor care is incompatible with safe, high-quality care

Corridor care is fundamentally incompatible with NHS England's Quality Strategy, which defines high-quality care as care that is safe, effective and provides a positive patient experience. Patients receiving care in corridors and other inappropriate settings are exposed to increased risks to safety, reduced clinical oversight and a poorer care experience, while staff are required to deliver care in environments not designed for clinical use.

Read the full letter