Select Committee · Health and Social Care Committee
Corridor Care
Status: Open
Opened: 4 Mar 2026
Inquiry scope
Following the publication of the Health Services Safety Investigations Body’s investigation Patient care in temporary care environments the Committee is holding a one off session to examine the issues. There are concerns that 'corridor care', where patients are treated in hospital corridors and other areas that lack the usual facilities for clinical care, has escalated from an occasional pressure relief measure in emergency departments to a widespread, systemic, issue for hospitals across the UK. This session will gather evidence on action that have been proposed to reduce the need for corridor care, and test the effectiveness of interventions that the Government has already introduced. It will also gather views on how to manage corridor care as safely and effectively as possible, while it remains a feature of the delivery of acute care, and explore the extent to which corridor care is a symptom of wider pressures in the health and care system and how these can be addressed.Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Mar 2026 |
Oral Evidence
Dr Ian Higginson · Royal College of Emergency Medicine,
Dr Rosie Bennyworth · Health Services Safety Investigation Board,
Karin Smyth MP · Department of Health and Social Care,
Kelly McGovern · West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust,
Professor Nicola Ranger · Royal College of Nursing,
Professor Tim Briggs · NHS England,
Sarah-Jane Marsh · NHS England
|
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Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Ian Higginson · President | Royal College of Emergency Medicine | 1 |
| Dr Rosie Bennyworth · Interim Chief Executive | Health Services Safety Investigation Board | 1 |
| Karin Smyth MP · Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care) | Department of Health and Social Care | 1 |
| Kelly McGovern · Chief Nursing Officer | West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | 1 |
| Professor Nicola Ranger · General Secretary and Chief Executive | Royal College of Nursing | 1 |
| Professor Tim Briggs · National Director for Clinical Improvement and Elective Recovery and Chair, Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme | NHS England | 1 |
| Sarah-Jane Marsh · National Priority Programme Director for Urgent and Emergency Care | NHS England | 1 |
Correspondence
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| Published | Direction | Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 20 May 2026 | — | Correspondence to chair from Karin Smyth MP - Corridor care |
| 26 Mar 2026 | — | Correspondence to Minister Smyth - corridor care |