THE number of patients being cared for in hospital corridors in Worcestershire increased in June.
NHS data shows an average of 80 people a day received corridor care in Worcestershire’s hospitals.
The number increased from May, when an average of 72 patients were treated for at least 45 minutes in corridors.
Nationally, an average of 2,432 patients received corridor care in A&E departments in England each day in June, along with 749 elsewhere in hospital wards, totalling 3,181.
HOSPITAL: Corridor care is an issue at Worcestershire Royal Hospital (Image: Phil Wilkinson-Jones/LDRS)
NHS bosses said heatwaves and the World Cup are impacting the health service.
Health secretary James Murray said corridor care is unacceptable and undignified.
He told the Press Association: “The reason why we took a decision as a Government for the first time to publish these statistics on corridor care is because corridor care is completely unacceptable, it’s undignified, and we want to eliminate it by the end of this Parliament.
“The first step to eliminating it is to identify where it is.
“The NHS is very used to stepping up around winter pressures, and that’s well established as a part of the NHS.
“What I want to make sure we’re prepared for as well is heatwave pressures, and so some of my work as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has been to work with NHS leadership to make sure the plans are in place to respond to heatwaves when they come to minimise their impact on the service that we provide.”
Professor Frankie Swords, NHS national medical director, said: “These figures show that summer is now putting the NHS under just as much pressure as winter, with staff facing an onslaught of demand – and we have to prepare for it in the same way.
“Staff are currently experiencing the busiest months of their career, but they are delivering for patients despite this record demand.”
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Prof Swords added that Mondays have been particularly busy for emergency departments amid weekend heatwaves and the World Cup.
“What we’re seeing on the ground is really busy Mondays following weekends of football and sunshine, so please don’t delay coming forward for care when you need it, even if it’s in early hours on a weekend,” he said.
The Worcestershire figures for patients are the combined total for corridor care in emergency departments and hospital wards at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals.
The data for May has been revised since its initial publication last month.
