The RCN today issued a strong call to action to the Welsh government, urging them to take decisive steps to eradicate corridor care – a practice that is unsafe, undignified, and unsustainable. The most vulnerable in society, including many older people, bear the brunt of corridor care –where patients are treated in hallways and other inappropriate settings due to bed shortages.

Corridor care compromises patient safety and dignity by delaying timely treatment, reducing privacy, and increasing anxiety and stress. For the nursing workforce, it worsens workloads, contributes to burnout, and undermines their ability to provide quality care.

In open letters to the Welsh Government, NHS Wales, key watchdogs and advocates, the RCN has called for action on eight steps to end corridor care in Wales. The RCN’s eight recommendations include protecting patient safety and supporting the nursing profession by declaring care in chairs for over 24 hours a “never event” and fostering a culture where nursing staff can raise safety concerns without fear. Key steps include increase weekend staffing that can enable timely discharges, restoring District Nurse numbers to 2010 levels, and investing in social care to ensure patients can transition from hospitals to appropriate care settings promptly.

Additionally, the Government must pause hospital bed reductions and review capacity to ensure adequate care in both community and hospital settings. Investing in the nursing workforce and fully implementing the Six Goals for Urgent and Emergency Care programme is critical. NHS Wales must be empowered to divert patients to neighbouring services when necessary, easing pressure on overstretched facilities and improving outcomes.

Helen Whyley, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said:

“Nurses are facing immense challenges in maintaining high standards of patient care amidst the growing prevalence of corridor and chair care in hospitals. The RCN’s recent report starkly highlights the stories of nurses who are striving to provide quality care in these difficult conditions. Despite the lack of proper facilities and the strain of overcrowded hospitals, nurses continue to demonstrate remarkable dedication and resilience. They often work long hours under intense pressure, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care even when resources are stretched thin.”

“Our recommendations provide a clear and achievable roadmap to ensure patients receive care in the right place, at the right time, and by the right professional. The nursing workforce is ready to lead the way – but we need the Welsh government to act now.”

The RCN is calling on the Welsh Government to engage all health care stakeholders, listen to the expertise of the nursing workforce, and prioritise patient safety above all else. The time to end corridor care is now.

Ends

 Notes to editors

Read the open letters here

Read the briefing in full here: Read the briefing in full here: English: Ending Corridor Care in Wales or Welsh: Rhoi diwedd ar ofal mewn


RCN Wales has recommended the following actions to Welsh government to end corridor care:

To eradicate corridor care, the Welsh Government must fully implement its National Programme, Six Goals for Urgent and Emergency Care, across Wales, involving all Royal Colleges — including the Royal College of Nursing — in this work. In addition, the Welsh Government must immediately:
1. Making ‘chair care’ over 24 hours a never event
2. Create a health service culture where staff feel empowered and safe to raise concerns
3. Increase the number of senior clinical decision-makers on hospital wards over the weekend to allow patients to be discharged.
4. Increase the number of District nurses in Wales to above 2010 levels
5. Invest in social care to ensure continual care for patients once discharged from hospital
6. Pause the NHS Wales reduction in hospital beds and conduct a national capacity review
7. Invest in the workforce to deliver the Six Goals for Urgent and Emergency Care programme.
8. Enable NHS Wales to safely divert patients to neighbouring services when needed.

Six Goals for Urgent and Emergency Care National Programme

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the including around 30,500 members in Wales. The RCN promotes the interests of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape health care policy.

For more information, contact the RCN Wales communications and media team on 02920 680 769 or mediawales@rcn.org.uk