NHS corridor care crisis: Thousands of patients in England waited over 24 hours in corridors in 2024, with one waiting 10+ days for a bed. This alarming trend has sparked a national outcry, with experts calling it an “unacceptable NHS corridor care crisis.”
Record High Trolley Waits
According to new NHS figures compiled by the Liberal Democrats, 48,830 patients faced “trolley waits” of 24 hours or longer in 2024. That’s a 19.8% increase from 2023 and nearly 58% more than in 2022.
A trolley wait begins when a patient is approved for hospital admission but lacks a bed, forcing them to wait in A&E corridors.
Elderly Patients Most Affected
The data shows that around 70% of those waiting were aged 65 or older, with this trend remaining steady over the last three years. These prolonged waits are not only uncomfortable but dangerous and undignified, health leaders say.
Nurses Sound the Alarm
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned that these numbers “only scratch the surface” of the growing emergency in the NHS. Professor Nicola Ranger, general secretary of the RCN, called corridor care “undignified and unsafe” and stressed that a nursing staff shortage worsens the problem.
Government Reaction
“No patient should spend 24 hours in A&E waiting for a bed,” the Department of Health and Social Care said, acknowledging the situation. While highlighting initiatives including community care expansion, vaccination rollouts, and NHS England reform, they also acknowledged that resolving the problem “will take time.”
Despite some improvements in emergency admissions—down from 61,529 in January to 46,766 in March—concerns remain about avoidable deaths. In 2023, prolonged A&E stays before hospital admission contributed to nearly 14,000 deaths.
Lib Dems Call for Action
The Liberal Democrats are pushing for a new intervention plan: deploying “super-heads”—experienced NHS executives—to turn around underperforming NHS Trusts.
Source: Sky News
