Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy of ending corridor care of the findings of the Healthcare Services Safety Investigation Body’s report entitled Patient care in temporary care environments, published in January 2026.

The Government recognises that corridor care is unacceptable and should not become a normal part of National Health Service care. The finding of the Healthcare Services Safety Investigation Body's report Patient care in temporary care environments reinforces the Government’s assessment that reducing overcrowding and improving patient flow across urgent and emergency care services are essential to improving patient safety, patient experience, and staff wellbeing.

The Government and NHS England are therefore taking action through delivery of the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26, backed by over £450 million of investment in urgent and emergency care capacity. This includes investment in Same Day Emergency Care services, urgent treatment centres, mental health crisis assessment centres, and ambulance services, helping more patients receive timely care in the most appropriate setting and reducing avoidable pressure on emergency departments.

NHS England has also published the Model Emergency Department and the Model Acute Pathway standards for the first 72 hours of care, which support earlier assessment, timely senior clinical review, faster clinical decision-making, and improved patient flow through hospitals, addressing many of the operational challenges highlighted in the report.

In addition, NHS England has introduced a national definition of corridor care, begun publishing validated corridor care data, and established targeted improvement support for trusts experiencing the highest levels of corridor care. Expert Getting It Right First Time teams are working with local NHS leaders to improve patient flow, strengthen discharge arrangements, and reduce overcrowding. Together these measures will strengthen oversight, improve transparency, and support local action to reduce corridor care.