Nearly 3,000 patients a day were treated in hospital corridors or temporary treatment areas instead of ward beds in England last month, newly published figures have revealed.
The data, released for the first time, highlights the scale of pressure facing the National Health Service (NHS) as ministers seek to eliminate what they describe as an unsafe and unacceptable practice by 2029.
Corridor care refers to patients waiting more than 45 minutes for an appropriate treatment space. In Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments, this can mean being treated in corridors, side rooms, or makeshift areas lacking proper equipment and privacy. On hospital wards, it applies to patients waiting 45 minutes or more for a bed.
According to the figures, an average of 2,241 patients a day experienced corridor care in A&E departments during May, while a further 669 patients faced similar situations on hospital wards.
NHS analysis found that just 20 hospital trusts accounted for more than half of all corridor care cases in A&E departments, while another 20 trusts were responsible for more than two-thirds of cases elsewhere in hospitals.
Health Secretary James Murray described the situation as unacceptable.
“Corridor care is unacceptable, undignified and has no place in our NHS,” he said.
The figures have been accompanied by accounts from patients and healthcare workers describing overcrowded conditions and long waits for treatment.
One woman, identified as Suzanne, said her mother, who is in her 80s, spent more than 24 hours in a corridor during each of five visits to A&E this year.
Another patient, Kathy, said she spent 36 hours waiting in a chair before being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Healthcare workers also spoke of the emotional toll of working under such conditions, with some describing emergency departments as overcrowded and struggling to maintain patient dignity and safety.
The government says publishing the data will help identify the worst-affected hospitals and support efforts to reduce corridor care across the NHS.
