Responding to the latest NHS England statistics showing increasing waits of more than 12 hours at A&E, Executive Director of RCN England Patricia Marquis said:

“The slight fall in waiting lists, while positive, won’t spare patients and nursing staff another disastrous winter. Tortuous waits of 12 hrs or longer are a clear sign of corridor care and they are skyrocketing, with tens of thousands more A&E attendances than this time last year. The cold weather hasn’t even arrived, with early signs pointing to a challenging flu season, and nursing staff across the NHS will be wondering just how bad things will be allowed to get.

"The key to solving the devastating pressures on hospitals and ending the scandal of corridor care is unlocking additional capacity in primary care, community and social care. The upcoming budget must provide new investment in those services and the nursing workforce that run them. That’s how you keep people healthy at home and end this cycle of crisis in our hospitals.

“Despite repeated warnings from nursing staff over the last 18 months, the government has also still not delivered on publishing data on just how widespread corridor care is. Transparency of care standards is crucial to turning services round and providing assurance to the public.”

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