Corridor care on the front line

Winter pressures, marked by prolonged ambulance handover delays and an increase in corridor care, continue to highlight multiple vulnerabilities within the NHS. Corridor care is one of several temporary care measures being used; other examples of these ‘temporary escalation spaces’ include storerooms, carparks, offices and toilets (Royal College of Nursing (RCN), 2025). These measures reflect a gross failure of investment over decades in a health service that is being underfunded and underinvested in by a multitude of governments. The NHS in its current form is struggling to maintain existing services and meet the growing demand (UNISON, 2025). This includes an underinvestment in the health service's buildings, care areas and staff.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2025) has responded to the RCN's report, noting that the testimony shared is profoundly concerning. The NMC acknowledges the current conditions in health and social care as being incredibly tough and they recognise the significant impact this is having on professionals. They understand that many nurses will feel uncertain or distressed about the care they are able to provide. However, platitudes from the NMC (the regulatory body responsible for maintaining standards) ring hollow in the face of these systemic issues, and simply do not wash. Although well-intentioned phrases may be used to offer comfort, they often fail to acknowledge the complexity of a nurse's emotions and experiences.