Investigation launched into ‘corridor care’

The RCN nurses’ union has welcomed an investigation into “corridor care” in England by the Health Services Safety Investigation Body (HSSIB).

It will investigate “temporary care environments” and look at how, where and when these are being used, the needs of patients, and the impact of their use on patients and staff.

The union says it is the first time official investigators will examine the impact of corridor care and follows a landmark union report on the issue based on the testimonies of more than 5,000 nursing staff.

The RCN declared corridor care a national emergency in June 2024 and revealed “harrowing accounts of unsafe treatment being delivered in inappropriate spaces on a daily basis”.

The HSSIB will report directly to the government, with findings expected in December 2025.

RCN general secretary Nicola Ranger said: “This investigation must shed more light on the scale and impact of these shocking conditions and mark the beginning of the end for this unacceptable practice.”

The Northern Ireland Department of Health committed to recording and reporting on corridor care from June 2025, while a petition for this topic to be considered for debate in the Senedd is under way in Wales, the RCN reported.