A petition urging the Welsh Government to take immediate action to end corridor care has gathered the support of more than 10,000 (10,533) people from every corner of Wales.

Launched by The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the British Medical Association (BMA) in Wales, the petition calls on the Welsh Government to take immediate action to end the unsafe practice of treating patients in inappropriate spaces such as corridors, on chairs, and in waiting areas.

Dr Manish Adke, chair of the BMA’s Welsh Consultants Committee, said:

“This overwhelming response sends an unequivocal message: the Welsh public, healthcare professionals, and patients are united in their concern about the ongoing crisis of patients being treated in hospital corridors.

“Across Wales, patients are increasingly being cared for in corridors, waiting areas, and other unsuitable spaces due to chronic overcrowding and resource shortages within NHS hospitals. 

“This practice exposes vulnerable individuals to a lack of privacy, dignity, and essential care, while staff struggle to deliver safe treatment without adequate equipment or support.

“Such conditions are not only distressing for patients and their families, but also place healthcare professionals in impossible situations, forced to choose between unsafe options”

The petition, which was launched after hundreds of nurses and doctors shared their concerns with their unions*, has now been formally presented to the Welsh Government, and the topic of corridor care will now be considered for debate in the Senedd in November.

Helen Whyley, National Director, RCN Wales, said:

“We remain committed to working with policymakers and stakeholders to ensure patient safety is placed at the heart of NHS reform in Wales. 

“We will continue to champion the rights of patients and staff, pressing for urgent action to address the corridor care crisis.

“The closure of the corridor care petition marks not the end, but the beginning of renewed efforts to restore dignity, safety, and high-quality care to all patients in Wales.

"We call on the Welsh Government to listen to healthcare professionals and the public, and to act decisively on these clear demands.”

The petition, which has now closed, makes four urgent demands of the Welsh Government:

-Record and report all instances of corridor care to ensure transparency and accountability.

-Pause any further reductions in hospital beds until safe alternatives are in place.

-Invest in community-based care, allowing patients to be treated closer to home and reducing pressure on hospitals.

-Prioritise prevention and early intervention to keep people out of hospital wherever possible. 

 

                                                                                             

Notes to editors

*Here are some of the anonymous testimonies of corridor care from doctors and nurses working in hospitals across Wales: 

“I have seen patients where diagnoses have been missed due to inadequate places to examine them” 

“Multiple patients with severe injuries to bones are sitting in chairs waiting for beds for 48 to 72 hours in best case scenario” 

“I routinely see patients on the back of an ambulance, patients whose treatments are delayed due to no beds or cardiac monitoring spaces” 

“I’ve had patients discharge against medical advice as they can’t stand to stay in a chair any longer” 

“I routinely look after older people who are not given a bed in a timely fashion. I see pressure area damage from time in chairs and on ambulances” 

“There are patients who are damaged by this that never go home because they deteriorate so much during their “corridor care”. 

“Patients who are in the waiting room or in the corridor often don't have access to basic facilities such as water, food and toilet access. This is particularly problematic for frail elderly patients or those with dementia”