Key Takeaways

• Emergency departments in the UK are facing significant challenges due to the normalization of corridor care, with patients often being treated in corridors rather than traditional hospital beds.
• The Royal College of Emergency Medicine estimates that over 16,600 deaths last year were linked to long waits in A&E for a hospital bed, highlighting the need for urgent action to address the crisis.
• Efforts to resolve the issue are focused on quick and easy solutions, such as persuading people not to go to hospital, rather than addressing the root causes of the problem.
• The health secretary has pledged to end corridor care in hospitals in England by the next general election, but experts warn that more needs to be done to address the crisis.
• Improving working conditions for staff, who are often "run ragged, exhausted and suffering from a mixture of either burnout, moral injury or exhaustion [and] PTSD", is also a key priority.

Introduction to the Crisis

Emergency departments across the UK are "in big trouble" due to the way corridor care has been "normalised", according to Dr Ian Higginson, the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM). This normalization of corridor care has led to a situation where patients are no longer surprised when they are cared for in a corridor, rather than a traditional hospital bed. However, doctors are warning that this is not a sustainable or acceptable way to deliver care, and that urgent action is needed to address the crisis.

The Scale of the Problem

The scale of the problem is significant, with the RCEM estimating that over 16,600 deaths last year were linked to long waits in A&E for a hospital bed. This is equivalent to around 320 deaths a week, and is a stark reminder of the need for urgent action to address the crisis. Separate analysis has also found that almost one in five patients treated in UK emergency departments in March were being cared for in "escalation areas", such as corridors. This suggests that the problem is widespread and affects many hospitals across the UK.

Government Response

The government has responded to the crisis by pledging to end corridor care in hospitals in England by the next general election, "if not sooner". However, experts are warning that more needs to be done to address the root causes of the problem, rather than just focusing on quick and easy solutions. Dr Higginson has suggested that efforts to resolve the crisis are currently focused on "bits that they think are quick and easy and cheap", such as persuading people not to go to hospital and seek alternatives instead. However, he believes that with political will, the problem is "fixable", and that doing so would be vital to improve working conditions for staff.

Impact on Staff

The crisis is also having a significant impact on staff, who are often "run ragged, exhausted and suffering from a mixture of either burnout, moral injury or exhaustion [and] PTSD". Improving working conditions for staff is a key priority, and is closely linked to the need to address the crisis in emergency departments. By providing more staff to beds in hospitals, improving community-based and social care, and making hospitals more efficient, it is possible to reduce the pressure on staff and improve the quality of care for patients.

NHS Response

The NHS has responded to the crisis by working to free up beds and ensure that patients are discharged as soon as they are medically fit to leave hospital or cared for closer to home. Specialist NHS productivity and regional experts are also working closely with hospitals to drive down incidences of corridor care, and ensure that patients receive the quality of care they deserve. However, despite these efforts, the problem persists, and more needs to be done to address the root causes of the crisis.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the crisis in emergency departments across the UK is a significant and pressing issue that requires urgent attention. The normalization of corridor care is unacceptable and is having a significant impact on patients and staff. The government and NHS must work together to address the root causes of the problem, rather than just focusing on quick and easy solutions. By providing more staff to beds in hospitals, improving community-based and social care, and making hospitals more efficient, it is possible to reduce the pressure on staff and improve the quality of care for patients. Ultimately, ending corridor care in hospitals is a key priority, and must be achieved as soon as possible to ensure that patients receive the care they deserve.