In a report published by the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB), healthcare leaders and NHS Trusts are urged to better understand and manage the risks temporary care environments may present to patient safety.
Temporary Care Environments, commonly referred to as 'corridor care,' are being used across NHS Trusts and there are widespread concerns about normalising their use and the impact on patients and staff. These are spaces that were not originally designed, staffed or equipped for patient care (such as waiting rooms, corridors, chairs on wards, ambulances outside emergency departments and other hospital areas). They are used when demand exceeds capacity, in an attempt to balance risks across the patient care pathway. However, these decisions often compromise the standard and quality of care delivered impacting on patient's experiences, including the provision of dignity and respect.
In past years, this demand has usually peaked during the colder months when the NHS experiences 'winter pressures'. However, an HSSIB investigation visited 13 hospitals, and had insights from 4 other hospitals, over the period of August — December 2025. They were all experiencing issues with patient flow — the movement of patients into, through and out of hospital to the right place of care — showing there is no longer significant seasonal variation.
HSSIB has reported on patient flow issues previously. However, there has been limited action in response to previous recommendations to address patient flow and reduce the use of temporary care environments.
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