A snapshot of 553 doctors published by the Royal College of Physicians shows 59% treated patients in temporary spaces such as hospital corridors, offices and cupboards during the summer. The survey describes corridor care as an everyday reality and not limited to winter. Of those who reported delivering corridor care, 72% said they felt compelled to do so, with about 45% saying it happened daily or almost daily and 66% viewing it as the new norm. Privacy and confidentiality concerns were common, with 94% saying patient privacy was compromised and 84% reporting risks to confidentiality; 8% said they had considered leaving their role.

Dr Hilary Williams, the RCP’s clinical vice president, said care in corridors places substantial physical and emotional strain on staff and emphasised the need for safe, private and properly equipped environments. The college called for urgent systemic action, including stronger social care, improved patient flow and greater use of alternatives to admission in the community, such as hospital-at-home schemes. One medic described treating a patient in front of a vending machine as a new low, and another said they had considered early retirement because of corridor care.

Dr Zuzanna Sawicka, the RCP’s clinical director for patient safety and clinical standards, argued that no doctor should deliver care next to a vending machine and described corridor care as an unacceptable reality. The college said it would continue to press the Government and NHS to end corridor care and to provide guidance to support safe practice in difficult conditions. NHS leaders stressed that corridor care is a symptom of broader pressures. Rory Deighton of the NHS Confederation noted that corridor care has been used as a last resort in winter, and that high demand in the summer underscores the strain on services. The Department of Health and Social Care said it is tackling a decade of neglect, expanding urgent capacity and upgrading hundreds of ambulances with £450 million (€522.0 million), while ensuring protection for vulnerable people through the vaccine programme and planning for winter with NHS leaders.