Nurses warn that NHS patients being 'set up to suffer' this winter, after damning report released

The Government has been accused by leading nurses of adopting "insufficient urgency" to tackle the corridor care crisis in hospitals in England.

A report from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) set out how patients are being treated in "distressing and undignified" circumstances, risking their safety.

While acknowledging MPs have recognised the issue, the RCN states there is "potential for a repeat of the unacceptable scale of corridor care" as the NHS enters the busy winter period.

This could be “more dangerous for patients" and they are being “set up to suffer”, the RCN said.

Read more: NHS services will not be cut to fund US pharma deal – Streeting

Read more: Get your flu jab now, because the NHS can’t afford a chaotic Christmas

Professor Nicola Ranger, chief executive and general secretary of the RCN, said: "Nursing staff and patients alike endured a horrendous winter last year, with corridor care rife across every service.

"Worryingly, after no respite in the summer, the signs point to the coming colder months being devastating and more dangerous for patients.

"Nursing staff have repeatedly warned about a corridor care national emergency, but the lack of urgency in tackling the crisis is unacceptable."

Prof Ranger went on: "Bed capacity has remained static, nurse numbers in hospitals haven’t increased to the level required and community services are not being invested in anywhere near fast enough.

"Yet again this winter, nursing staff have been set up to fail and patients set up to suffer."

The findings come days after British Medical Association (BMA) announced that resident doctors in England will go on strike for five consecutive days in the run-up to Christmas.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting told LBC on Tuesday the choice to strike was "irresponsible" and warned of “significant” risk to patients.

The RCN said pressure on the NHS has "intensified over the years" and "explains why corridor care is continuing and could worsen because of winter pressures."

A chief nurse in the south of England told the union: "Since October the pressures have been relentless, and it already feels like deep winter.

"Corridor care has become increasingly common as 12-hour waits rise and demand continues to outstrip the staff and beds available.

"Community services simply aren’t meeting the level of need, so pressure is backing up across the whole system.“All of this is happening just as the flu peak is expected, with vaccine uptake lower than hoped.

"Starting winter from this position has left many of us deeply concerned about what lies ahead for both staff and patients."

Another senior nurse working in an emergency department in the south west of England said: "Staff are daunted about what could be the toughest winter yet.

"An overwhelming volume of patients through the doors coupled with too few staff means many are being cared for in areas which are overcrowded.

"The 12-hour delays are inevitable, with some patients waiting up to a day for an inpatient bed because discharges don’t keep up.

"It's heart-wrenching having patients sat in chairs in corridors as there are not enough beds, especially the elderly and vulnerable.

"Despite your best efforts, you can’t stop it from happening as the systems don’t move fast enough."

Official figures show that the number of people waiting more than 12 hours in A&E departments from a decision to admit to actually being admitted stood at 54,314 in October, up from 44,765 in September.

Meanwhile, some 74.1% of patients were seen within four hours in A&Es in October, down from 75.1 per cent in September.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "No one should receive care in a corridor in a chair or trolley – it is unacceptable and undignified.

"We are determined to end this, which is why we’re publishing corridor waiting figures so we can take the steps needed to eradicate it from our health service. Sunlight is the best disinfectant to stop this practice.

"This winter, we are investing almost £450 million to expand same-day and urgent care services, upgrading up to 500 ambulances, delivering new mental health crisis centres, and giving NHS leaders more power to deliver local solutions.

"On top of this, we are ramping up activity of vital vaccinations, to ensure you and your loved ones stay protected from flu and other diseases. Together, we can ensure the NHS is there when you need it."

An NHS England spokesperson said: "We know that too many patients are being cared for in corridors and waiting over 12 hours for a bed – this should never happen.

"NHS clinical and operational teams have been working hard to limit this unacceptable way of caring for patients, while doing more to prepare for winter earlier than ever before and our attention is focused firmly on getting patients out of corridors, keeping more ambulances on the road and enabling those ready to leave hospital to do so as quickly and safely as possible.

"Unfortunately, the planned industrial action by resident doctors – timed to occur when we are facing steep rises in flu pressures – will only make this ambition much more challenging to deliver."