NHS nurses held a press conference in central London to reveal a startling report from the Royal College of Nurses, which indicates that care in hospital corridors has now become a regular occurrence throughout the year and is at an all-time low in quality.
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Nurses have revealed the reality they now face on the NHS frontline as patients spend their final hours slowly dying on trolleys in busy corridors.
Medics spoke out at a briefing in central London to unveil the Royal College of Nurses bombshell 460-page report on corridor care. Harrowing accounts of care in inappropriate hospital spaces has become normalised all year round, the report concluded, saying it is the worst it has ever been.
Addressing an audience at the RCN headquarters in central London, an emotional nurse shared her experience: “Just two weeks ago, I cared for an elderly patient who spent six hours in the corridor. A doctor informed me that we believed she was nearing the end of her life. Despite this, she remained in that corridor for an additional two hours as we searched for a suitable bed for her.”
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"What truly moved me was how grateful the family was for my efforts in organizing that space. However, she dedicated eight long hours, close to the end of her life, caring for a patient going through alcohol detox, who was not only vomiting but also being quite aggressive. Meanwhile, another patient nearby was in excruciating pain, screaming and shouting."
"The care provided was far from dignified, and the family expressed gratitude for the minimal assistance we managed to offer. If that were my mother, I would be appalled. How would you feel if it were your mom, left on a shabby stretcher in a bustling hallway as she passed away?"
Another nurse commented, “You’re so focused on tasks that it’s challenging to take a moment to pause, engage with your patient, and notice who’s actually present. It’s always about the next patient, moving quickly from one to another. You go out, call their name, and if they don’t respond, you repeat this three or four times over the next few hours, ultimately marking them as a ‘self discharge’ because who wants to endure hours in a waiting room surrounded by others who are coughing and vomiting? It often takes someone to notice that there’s a person buried under a stack of coats who has sadly passed away.”
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The RCN highlighted that insights from 5,000 nurses reveal the stark effects of ten years of under-funding in the NHS. Instances of inadequate care reported include a couple receiving information about their miscarriage options in a congested hallway, and an individual with dementia being assisted with incontinence issues beside a vending machine.
Nurses expressed feelings of "shame" and "guilt" regarding the level of care they could provide. They recounted experiences of being spat on and facing threats of acid attacks.
During a discussion yesterday, a senior support worker from a prominent acute trust in the South East shared their experiences: “You might find yourself in a waiting room with a defibrillator being tossed at you, while others shout accusations like ‘you’re the reason my mother passed away!’ These incidents linger with you, and you carry them home. It leaves a mark on your spirit.”
The annual rate of NHS funding rises - to keep pace with the ageing population - slowed from almost 6% under New Labour to only 2% under the Conservatives, according to an analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). The annual rise average since the NHS was founded is around 4% which is still low by European standards.
