Committee publication · Correspondence · 26 March 2026 · HC 1757
Correspondence to Minister Smyth - corridor care
From: Health and Social Care Committee
Inquiry: Corridor Care
Summary
The Health and Social Care Committee writes to Minister Karin Smyth following evidence on corridor care (patients treated in hospital corridors due to bed shortages). The Committee welcomes the Government's commitment to eradicate it by 2029 but raises concerns about data collection, accountability of NHS Trust leaders, fatigue management, social care integration, and rising clinical negligence costs linked to emergency care.
Key findings
- Government commits to eradicate corridor care by end of Parliament (2029), but Committee notes no interim targets or milestones set to monitor progress
- Risk that NHS data collection can be 'gamed' through temporary space re-categorisation or patient movement; corridor care reporting should be combined with A&E 4-hour wait and ambulance data to prevent perverse incentives
- Some NHS Trust boards not taking basic steps to address corridor care, including data analysis and ward inspections at evenings/weekends; Committee seeks accountability mechanisms
- HSSIB identified lack of effective fatigue management systems; Committee requests information on NHS learning from safety approaches in other sectors
- Social care failings prevent patient discharge and bed availability; Committee asks for update on Better Care Fund review and discharge-to-assess measures to ease acute sector capacity
Tone
CriticalTopics
Key actors
Karin Smyth MP, Layla Moran, Health and Social Care Committee, NHS England, GIRFT, HSSIB, Department of Health and Social Care
Notable line
“There are also concerns that NHS data can be "gamed", with temporary spaces re- categorised, patients moved around to tickboxes, or kept in ambulances for longer periods.”
Key Quotes
“While we believe that there is more that should be done, we believe that the clear leadership and focused action that the Department is providing is the correct way to seek to tackle this issue”
“There are also concerns that NHS data can be "gamed", with temporary spaces re- categorised, patients moved around to tickboxes, or kept in ambulances for longer periods.”
“The Committee was however surprised by the evidence from witnesses that suggested some boards were not already taking the most basic steps to own this issue of corridor care”
“Until real progress is made to join up social care and community services with the acute sector then there simply won't be enough beds to move people out of corridors and on to wards.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗