A damning new report has laid bare the shocking state of care in NHS corridors, revealing a system in collapse where patients are treated in undignified and unsafe conditions, with one individual tragically choking to death alone.
'Broken System' of Corridor Care Exposed
Findings from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), based on a survey of 436 nurses, depict a healthcare environment pushed to its absolute limits. The report, released on Thursday 15 January 2026, details what the college describes as a 'broken system' where corridor care has become normalised.
Nurses reported being forced to treat patients in wholly unsuitable locations, including hospital corridors, dining rooms, and even offices. This practice leads to severe overcrowding and critically compromises the level of care that can be provided, putting patient safety and dignity at grave risk.
Shocking Accounts of Undignified Treatment
The survey collected harrowing first-hand accounts from frontline staff. One case involved a patient who was left in a chair for four consecutive days due to a lack of available beds.
In a particularly tragic incident, another patient died after choking undetected while situated in a corridor, highlighting the extreme dangers of this compromised form of care where continuous monitoring is impossible.
These examples are not isolated but symptomatic of a wider crisis. The RCN has issued a stark warning that these 'collapsing care standards' are having a devastating impact on NHS staff, pushing morale 'almost past the point of no return' and causing significant anxiety and distress among healthcare workers.
Government Response and Calls for Investment
In response to the escalating crisis, the government has promised quicker A&E times under a new plan aimed at helping to end corridor care. However, critics argue that promises must be backed by substantial and immediate resource allocation.
The Royal College of Nursing is urging ministers to commit to a significant investment programme. Their demands are clear and focus on the root causes of the problem:
- Funding for more hospital beds to increase capacity.
- Recruitment and retention of more nurses to safely staff wards.
- Greater investment in community services to prevent hospital admissions where possible and facilitate timely discharges.
The report concludes that without urgent and decisive action to tackle the systemic issues of capacity and staffing, the safety and dignity of patients will continue to be undermined, and the wellbeing of the NHS workforce will be irreparably damaged.
