Responding to the Marie Curie survey findings on nurses giving end-of-life care in corridors, Royal College of Nursing Chief Nursing Officer Professor Lynn Woolsey said:

“No one deserves to receive care in a hospital corridor, let alone someone at the end of their life. These non-clinical areas are fundamentally unsafe, denying nursing staff access to basic equipment such as oxygen and suction for the people in their care. They’re also totally undignified, leaving some of the most vulnerable to receive treatment, use the toilet and sometimes die in full glare of the public. It’s totally unacceptable.

“To prevent those with terminal illnesses from enduring such shocking care, we need the government to deliver on its commitment to keep people comfortable closer to home. District nurses are key here, but their numbers have plummeted over the last decade leaving vulnerable people with nowhere else to turn. This sadly means that those approaching the end of their life are being hospitalised, which is why we also need action to boost hospital bed numbers and ensure there are enough nursing staff to provide safe and dignified care”

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