Corridor Care and Long Waits in A&E: What People Are Experiencing

During busy periods, such as winter, people’s experiences in A&E can have a significant emotional and physical impact. Long waits and care in unsuitable spaces are serious issues that affect patient safety, dignity, and overall wellbeing.

Across England, over 2.3 million people visited A&E in December 2025, with more than 400,000 admitted to hospital. Many older and frail patients are particularly vulnerable, as extended waits in corridors can increase the risk of falls, dehydration, delirium, and other complications.

What We’ve Heard
Feedback from people across the country shows repeated concerns about:

• Long waits: Some patients waited for hours or even over a day before being allocated a bed.
• Corridor care: Patients often receive care in non-clinical spaces such as chairs, trolleys, or equipment cupboards, which can compromise safety and dignity.
• Lack of privacy and comfort: People report having no access to toilets, sharing commodes, or being left unattended for long periods.
• Emotional toll: Waiting in these conditions causes anxiety, fear, embarrassment, and distress for patients and their families.
• Basic needs not met: Many reported not being offered food, drink, or appropriate medication while waiting, even in cases of long delays or special dietary requirements.

For example, one patient in another part of England described waiting 24 hours in a corridor for a bed, with no privacy and limited access to a toilet. Another reported being left on a trolley for 22 hours, ultimately developing a hospital-acquired bedsore.

Why This Matters
These experiences show that overcrowding and insufficient beds in A&E can have serious consequences for patient safety and dignity. Vulnerable groups — including older people, those with dementia or learning disabilities, people in mental health crisis, or those at the end of life — are at higher risk.

What Needs to Change
Healthwatch recommends that hospitals and Integrated Care Boards:

• Prioritise safety and dignity in all settings, including corridors.
• Publicly commit to reducing corridor care and report progress regularly.
• Provide real-time updates to patients about delays and care plans.
• Protect high-risk patients by acting early and avoiding corridor placement wherever possible.
• Ensure basic needs such as food, drink, medication, and privacy are always met.

Your Voice Can Make a Difference
At Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, we listen to people’s experiences in local health and care services. Sharing your story about A&E or other urgent care services helps us highlight issues, influence decision-makers, and push for improvements.

If you or a loved one have experienced long waits, corridor care, or other concerns in A&E, please get in touch with us. Your feedback can help make local hospitals safer and more compassionate for everyone.

Call: 0330 355 1285
Text: 0752 0635 176
Email: enquiries@healthwatchcambspboro.co.uk