So-called corridor care has become a "regrettable reality" in NHS hospitals but "must not become normalised", according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The health regulator warned of "worrying reports" of patients' health deteriorating while waiting for planned care.
The findings emerge from a major CQC survey covering 62,444 people across 131 NHS trusts who stayed overnight in hospital during November 2024. Patient satisfaction with NHS hospitals in England improved slightly over the past year, though many care aspects remain worse than before the pandemic.
Survey shows mixed results
Of the 36 questions asked, 17 showed statistically significant improvement, 17 remained stable and two declined. The survey covered experiences of people over 16 who spent at least one night in hospital.
Staff availability improved, with 57.9% of patients reporting there were always enough nurses on duty to care for them, compared to 55.7% in 2023 and 51.6% in 2022. Some 36.8% said staff involved them greatly in care decisions, up from 34.7% in 2023.
Around eight in 10 patients said they always had confidence and trust in treating doctors, similar to 2023 levels. Some 82% felt they were always treated with dignity and respect, unchanged from the previous year.
Waiting times remain major concern
However, around two in five patients receiving planned care said they would have liked admission much sooner, with 19.9% wanting admission "a lot sooner" and 22.2% "a bit sooner". More than four in 10 patients told the survey their health had deteriorated while waiting for hospital admission.
Around a quarter said their condition got "a bit worse" and 17% reported it got "much worse". Some 17.8% of people waited far too long for a bed after arriving at hospital in 2024, unchanged from 2023 but significantly higher than the 7.9% recorded in 2020.
Of those waiting for beds, 45.6% waited in treatment bays while 30.8% waited in waiting rooms. Some 18% waited in corridors or hallways, highlighting the extent of corridor care.
NHS performance data shows challenges
NHS England data shows an estimated 7.37 million treatments were waiting at the end of June, relating to 6.23 million patients. However, the longest waits decreased, with 1,103 patients waiting more than 18 months for routine treatment, down from 1,237 in May.
Dr Toli Onon, chief inspector of hospitals at the CQC, praised frontline healthcare professionals working "tirelessly to provide high quality care". He said the positive feedback about staff interactions was "a testament to the efforts of frontline healthcare professionals".
However, Dr Onon expressed concern about lengthy waits and patients whose health deteriorated while waiting for care. He emphasised that corridor care "must not become normalised" but acknowledged it had become "a regrettable reality" as hospitals use temporary spaces to relieve ambulance sector pressure.
Sources used: "Care Quality Commission", "NHS England" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
