A shocking report highlights overcrowding, neglect, and unsafe conditions in UK hospitals, with some patients left undiscovered for hours

A harrowing new report from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has exposed appalling conditions in NHS hospitals, revealing that patients are dying in hospital corridors and being neglected due to overcrowding and understaffing. The 460-page report, based on testimonies from over 5,400 nurses, paints a grim picture of the state of emergency care in the UK.

Nurses described incidents where patients died in waiting areas without proper monitoring, while others, including those suffering cardiac arrests, were unable to receive immediate treatment due to a lack of necessary equipment. One nurse recounted a traumatic experience where they were forced to perform CPR in a corridor, with no crash trolley, defibrillator, or oxygen available.

The report also detailed how patients are being given intravenous treatments, blood transfusions, and medications in cramped, noisy corridors with no privacy or comfort, and at times, they are left unattended for hours. Some patients, unable to call for help due to a lack of call bells, are being subjected to “animal-like conditions.”

In one particularly distressing account, a nurse had to tell a patient they were dying in a corridor, surrounded by the noise of other patients being wheeled past and orders being shouted across the ward. The lack of space has led to patients being treated in unsuitable locations such as storerooms, car parks, and even toilets.

Dr. Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, described the findings as “shocking” and called for urgent action to address the crisis. The RCN has warned that such incidents are not isolated and have become a regular part of the NHS experience, with vital resources and staff stretched beyond capacity.

In response, Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended the government’s record but acknowledged the severity of the crisis, admitting that the current state of NHS care was the result of long-standing issues. He expressed his determination to tackle the problem but warned that ending “corridor care” would take time.

The Whittington Hospital in North London, which has been heavily impacted by the crisis, has even started recruiting nurses specifically to provide “corridor care” to manage the growing number of patients being treated in walkways and waiting areas.

The report comes amidst one of the worst winter crises the NHS has faced, with over 20 hospital trusts declaring critical incidents. The severe pressure on A&E departments has led to requests for patients to avoid bringing loved ones with them, as hospitals struggle to cope with demand.