Impact of corridor care and long A&E waits on older people deeply worrying, health leaders say

Responding to the launch of Age UK's report ‘The Longest Wait – Our A&E Crisis Demands an Emergency Response’, Rory Deighton, acute and community director at the NHS Confederation, said:

“This report reveals the worsening crisis of corridor care and long A&E waits in the NHS. The impact it has on older people is deeply worrying, especially as we head into another tough winter.

“Rising demand, delays in discharge and poor flow through hospitals have created bottlenecks in A&Es up and down the country. These long waits risk harming the health of patients, their families, and staff alike. Patients who are well enough to leave hospital often lack the support they need to do so – delaying admissions to A&E and forcing staff to treat patients in unsuitable spaces like corridors.

“Despite the hard work of health leaders and their teams, very difficult decisions over the best way to manage this are having to be made, with corridor care a last resort.

“We need viable alternatives to emergency care for some patients – including better access to GPs, walk-in centres, and local support for falls and frailty. Specialist respiratory hubs, managed by primary care, or minor injuries units, could also help manage A&E demand. Older patients especially should also benefit from neighbourhood services like Urgent Community Response and expanded primary care options such as Pharmacy First.”