CQC Strengthens Oversight of ‘Corridor Care’ in NHS Hospitals

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has issued updated guidance for hospital inspections amid growing concerns over the treatment of patients in spaces not designed for clinical care. The new framework targets the practice of ‘corridor care’, where patients are placed in waiting rooms, hallways, or other makeshift areas due to overcrowding and staff shortages.

Inspectors will now examine whether hospitals are taking all reasonable steps to protect patient safety and dignity, ensuring that non-designated spaces are used only temporarily and with a clear plan to end their use. Hospitals will be expected to demonstrate robust risk assessments, active mitigation measures, and evidence that corridor care is part of an urgent, short-term response rather than an acceptable long-term solution.

Dr Toli Onon, CQC Chief Inspector of Hospitals, said:

“People should receive safe and effective hospital care in environments that protect privacy and dignity. Being treated in a corridor is undignified and unsafe for patients, and it also affects staff morale.”

He added that inspectors will hold trusts accountable for demonstrating that every possible action is being taken to manage patient flow, prevent harm, and ensure corridor care does not become entrenched.