The Royal College of Physicians is urging the UK government to set out a clear timeline for publishing long‑promised national corridor care data, one year after NHS England first committed to making the figures public.
The renewed call comes amid new NHS England performance statistics showing intensifying pressure across urgent and emergency care services.
According to the latest NHS data, 2.3 million people attended emergency departments in England last month, up from 2.2 million in January the previous year, underscoring ongoing demand on health services. More than 71,000 patients waited over 12 hours from the decision to admit to actual admission – the highest number since records began in 2010. At the same time, an average of 13,823 hospital beds per day were occupied by patients who were medically fit to leave but unable to be discharged, often due to delays in social care.
Many of those facing long waits spent extended periods in temporary and inappropriate care environments such as hospital corridors. These pressures reflect wider system issues, including delayed discharge and insufficient social care capacity, which continue to disrupt patient flow.
RCP data shows that corridor care is now a year‑round problem rather than a winter exception. In its September 2025 snapshot survey, 59% of UK physicians reported providing care in temporary settings such as corridors, cupboards and even gyms during the summer months. The survey of 553 physicians highlights widespread concerns about patient dignity, privacy, and the lack of essential equipment in such environments.
In October 2025, the RCP issued updated clinical guidance to support doctors caring for patients in both permanent and temporary settings, acknowledging how entrenched the practice has become.
The RCP has stressed that publishing accurate and timely corridor care data is essential for understanding the true scale of the problem, improving patient safety, and ensuring accountability for promised reforms. It has repeatedly called for government investment in social care and public health, emphasising that preventing avoidable admissions and improving patient flow must form part of the long‑term solution.
President of the RCP, Professor Mumtaz Patel, said:
“Recently, an older patient was left on a chair in a corridor for more than 12 hours after a fall, despite being in pain and having multiple long-term conditions. During that time, their condition deteriorated – developing sepsis and dehydration – before eventually being moved to a high-dependency unit. They sadly died a few days later. No patient should ever be put through an experience like this.”
With A&E attendance at record levels and long waits continuing to rise, the RCP says publishing corridor care data is no longer optional, it is an urgent necessity for restoring patient trust and ensuring care is delivered safely and respectfully.
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