Llais joins call for urgent action to end corridor care in Wales
Drawing on what people have told us about their experiences of urgent and emergency care, Llais has joined the British Medical Association (BMA), professional bodies and other representative bodies to call for urgent action to tackle corridor care in Wales.
In a letter to Mabon ap Gwynfor, Cabinet Minister for health and care, we highlight continuing concerns about people receiving care in corridors, waiting areas and other unsuitable environments, often for extended periods of time, due to pressures across the health and social care system.
Collectively we are asking the Cabinet Minister to take immediate action, including introducing a national definition of corridor care, and collecting and publishing Wales-wide data, so that corridor care is monitored as a patient safety issue across NHS Wales.
We also want health boards to set out how they will reduce and eliminate corridor care, alongside a coordinated, system-wide approach to addressing the underlying causes.
At Llais, we regularly hear from people whose experiences highlight the importance of receiving care in safe, appropriate and dignified environments. We know that when services are under pressure, both patients and staff can be affected.
People have told us about long waits for care; their concerns about privacy and dignity; and the impact that overcrowded environments can have on their overall experience of health services. These experiences are particularly challenging for people who are older and/or neurodivergent, living with complex health needs, approaching the end of life, or experiencing a mental health crisis.
This is not a new issue. We have regularly raised our concerns with health boards based on what we hear from people about the impact that overcrowding and prolonged waits can have on their experiences of care. These experiences have helped shape our contribution to this joint call for action.
Through our work across Wales, people consistently tell us that outstanding care is about more than clinical treatment. They want to be treated with dignity and compassion, feel safe, have their privacy respected, be listened to, be involved in decisions about their care, and kept informed about what is happening. These are the principles people tell us matter most, and they can be particularly difficult to uphold when care is delivered in inappropriate environments.
We also recognise the extraordinary efforts of health and care staff working in challenging circumstances, and know that many of the pressures contributing to corridor care sit across the whole health and social care system.
As the independent voice for people in Wales on health and social care, we believe people's experiences must be at the heart of efforts to address corridor care and improve patient safety.
Llais will continue to bring forward people's experiences and work with partners across Wales to support improvements that help make sure that everyone can access safe, dignified and person-centred care.
Read the full joint letter here.