Responding to the latest NHS England data which shows instances of corridor care have surged past 100k for the first time in a single month, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, said:
“These figures are a mark of shame. With winter having barely begun, the number of people treated in corridors has surged. Nursing staff will be filled with dread thinking of just how bad things will get as temperatures drop. The data shows once again that corridor care is occurring not just in emergency departments but across hospitals. This is an incredibly dangerous situation with much colder temperatures on the horizon.
“Behind these statistics are vulnerable patients suffering, stuck in areas without lifesaving equipment, and forced to receive care or intimate examinations in full view of others. It’s inhumane and nursing staff are tired of asking when government is going to step up and end it. Patients are coming to harm every day, while staff are exhausted and demoralised from delivering such poor care. Ministers are still not acting with the urgency needed.
“It’s the prime minister’s first NHS winter as leader of the country. He must show that he is willing to take the action necessary to protect care standards. That means increasing the number of staffed beds in hospitals, easing financial pressures so trusts can employ the nursing staff needed, with extra funds also released in community settings to help keep people out of hospital. In social care, we need additional funding packages so the older and vulnerable can easily access care. For the sake of patient safety, we need investment and action now.”
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Notes to editors
NHS England - Corridor Care – Urgent and Emergency Care Daily Situation Reports
