Worcestershire Liberal Democrats are calling for action after the NHS’ own statistics show the shocking extent of the corridor crisis in England’s hospitals.
In Herefordshire and Worcestershire, an average of 67 patients were treated in corridors each day.
Only one NHS system in the Midlands recorded a higher average number.
Nationwide, 66,000 patients were treated in corridors in May alone, averaging more than 2,000 a day.
They claim the real figures could be even higher, however, as major trusts like Birmingham failing to submit data, where significant corridor care has been reported.
The data also reveals an average of 669 inpatients in hospital each day receiving treatment on corridors after being admitted.
The party has argued these ‘corridor care wards’ shows the practice has become normalised.
For Worcestershire families, this means longer ambulance handover delays, crowded emergency departments, and patients waiting for treatment in unsuitable environments.
Local residents attending A&E at Worcestershire hospitals deserve to be treated with dignity rather than in corridors because of a lack of beds and delays in discharging patients.
The Liberal Democrats have called for a legal right for patients to be admitted to A&E within 12 hours, creating a statutory duty for ministers to deliver it.
They are calling for an extra £1.5billion of funding that would make around 6,000 more beds available each day by expanding hospital capacity, more step-down care and creating ‘safety net’ social care beds for patients waiting on long-term care decisions.
The party has also put forward amendments to the Government’s health bill to eliminate corridor care and require ministers to regularly give evidence before bereaved families and NHS staff, explaining how they will end the scandal.
Parliamentary spokesperson for West Worcestershire, Dan Boatright-Greene said: “This is a damning final scorecard for Wes Streeting as Health Secretary.
“Corridor care shames the NHS, and represents serious, continual negligence by ministers.
“To have such appalling statistics in Worcestershire shows more needs to be done to support our NHS.”
“Their failure to do anything about social care means our hospitals are full of people desperate to leave while A&E waiting rooms groan with people waiting to be seen.
“It is a disaster for the country that Labour has fallen to infighting once again while patients die on hospital trolleys.
“That’s why the Liberal Democrats will be pushing votes in Parliament to force listless and distracted Labour ministers into finally taking action. Worcestershire residents deserve better.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Corridor care is unacceptable, undignified and has no place in our NHS, and this government has committed to ending this practice by the end of this Parliament.
“We don’t need more targets and pledges – we need action. For the first time, we are publishing data on corridor care and have sent in expert teams to support hospitals facing the greatest pressures.
“We are also reducing long waits, improving access to GPs and community services to reduce pressure on A&E, and ensuring patients are treated quickly, safely and with dignity.”
