Overcrowding in hospitals is leading to a dangerous situation where patients are collapsing on corridors, out of sight of staff, according to the NHS's safety watchdog, the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB). This issue poses significant risks to patients, including falls, infections, and a lack of oxygen. The HSSIB's report highlights the potential for patients in these areas to not receive prompt attention if they deteriorate and suffer a medical emergency, as they may be at the end of a corridor and out of the line of sight of the central part of the emergency department. This is a critical concern, as several nurses shared their concerns about calling for help and responding to medical emergencies in temporary care environments. The report also mentions a few incidents where patients had collapsed in these areas, and while their presence in an overflow area did not affect their outcome, there were concerns about the impact it had on the timeliness of the emergency response. The Royal College of Nursing has previously warned that patients on corridors are dying, and the report is seen as a damning indictment of the increasingly routine use of corridor care. Some hospitals have taken steps to mitigate the risks by installing emergency call bells, plug sockets, and mini nursing stations in overflow areas to make them calmer and more organized. However, other hospitals are not taking these steps, fearing that care in such areas could become normalized. The HSSIB also found that patients may spend several days in temporary care environments due to a lack of beds, which is a significant issue. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine estimates that over 16,600 people died in England last year as a direct result of delays in finding them a bed after arriving at A&E. The NHS England has stated that corridor care is unacceptable and should never be considered standard, and the health secretary, Wes Streeting, has pledged to end the practice by 2029. However, NHS staff groups remain skeptical about the commitment to eradicate corridor care.
