Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has directed NHS England to develop immediate measures to eliminate the practice of treating children in hospital corridors, according to statements made during a broadcast interview. The move follows requests from over a dozen health organizations advocating for action on this issue.
The announcement comes in response to elevated demand on emergency departments. Data indicates that 50,582 individuals waited longer than 12 hours in A&E departments from admission decisions to actual admission in September, compared to 44,951 in August. Cooper stated that future data collection will be modified to specifically track the number of children included in these figures. The government aims to end corridor care broadly by the end of the current parliamentary term.
The case of a two-year-old who died in 2024 after spending his final hours in a crowded A&E corridor prompted part of the discussion. The child’s parents described the experience as disruptive to dignity and care quality, including instances where medical procedures had to be performed in the corridor due to lack of available space. Cooper offered an apology on behalf of the NHS following their account. The healthcare trust involved acknowledged ongoing periods of exceptional demand and stated that staff continue efforts to provide safe care despite challenging conditions.
To address winter pressures, the government announced £140 million in funding directed toward urgent care capacity improvements. The allocation will support 14 schemes across England, encompassing new urgent care centers, ambulance services, and emergency department upgrades. This funding announcement followed reports of record summer attendance at emergency departments, with nearly 7.3 million visits between June and August. Healthcare leaders cautioned that the service faces significant challenges heading into the winter season, noting that the workforce is already experiencing staffing shortages. Additionally, routine hospital treatment waiting lists continued to rise, with an estimated 7.37 million treatments pending as of August.
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