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Corridor care: public backs RCN demands for swift government action
We're reiterating calls for urgent intervention as a poll finds half of the public think it should take the government no longer than a year to solve the corridor care crisis, if it acts now
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During the release of the RCN’s corridor care report, health secretary Wes Streeting told the House of Commons that he “cannot promise that patients will not be treated in corridors next year”.
Now, new polling from YouGov on behalf of the RCN reveals around half (48%) of the respondents in England said that if the government did take action, it can eradicate care and treatment being delivered in non-medical areas within 1 year.
While 50% of people in England blamed the previous government for the problem, 48% said it was the current government’s responsibility to solve it.
When asked, 90% of people in England said the need to prevent care from being delivered in non-medical areas (such as corridors and car parks) is “urgent”. Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) in England said they had witnessed or received that type of care within the last 6 months.
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: “The public and nursing staff can see a tragedy for patients unfolding before their eyes. They know care standards are unacceptable and they want government to act decisively. The first step it can take to protect patients from corridor care is to introduce mandatory reporting of any time it takes place."
Alongside mandatory reporting, we're now urging the government to act at a greater pace and scale to solve the causes of the crisis. We want ministers to make eradicating corridor care a key priority in the new 10-Year Plan due this spring.
Nicola added: “To properly solve this crisis, the government has to bring forward new and urgent investment into the nursing workforce, especially in the community and social care. That is the key to keeping patients healthy at home and easing pressures on hospitals.
"Exhausted, overstretched and demoralised nursing staff are working hard to keep patients safe, but they cannot do so without measures to fill the thousands of vacancies in the NHS and social care. This includes delivering a meaningful pay rise to recruit and retain staff.”
Read our full report to discover the extent of corridor care across the UK, as told by our members.
Whenever you see concerning practices in the workplace, including corridor care, raise a concern in line with your employer's policy. Raising concerns isn’t always easy, but it’s the right thing to do.
Read our guide on how to do this, created to help nursing staff based in both NHS and independent health and care settings.
You can find a package of resources to support you on our website, including a template letter, and member checklist to help with raising concerns and more.
