NHS leaders in trusts with the highest levels of corridor care are receiving additional support as part of efforts to reduce the practice.
Specialist teams are being deployed to hospitals most affected, providing clinical and operational support to senior staff. Early data indicates that the majority of corridor care is concentrated within a relatively small number of NHS trusts.
The support is being delivered through the Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) programme, which is working with hospital leaders to review processes such as patient flow, discharge arrangements and demand forecasting. The teams are also helping trusts analyse their data and support clinical decision-making.
A formal definition of corridor care has recently been introduced, allowing NHS organisations to begin collecting consistent data on its use, with national figures expected to be published from May.
Separately, plans have been confirmed for 40 new or expanded urgent care services across England. These include urgent treatment centres and same-day emergency care services, aimed at treating patients outside of traditional A&E settings and improving the movement of patients through hospitals.
The measures are intended to reduce pressure on emergency departments, where corridor care can occur when demand exceeds available clinical space.
Some hospitals have reported improvements following changes to internal processes. These have included earlier clinical assessment, increased involvement of senior decision-makers and expanded same-day emergency care services to support faster treatment and discharge.
In Nottingham, Queen’s Medical Centre is among hospitals that have experienced pressures linked to high demand in urgent and emergency care, with national initiatives expected to form part of ongoing efforts to address capacity and patient flow.
