Wrexham.com > News
Posted: Fri 31st Oct 2025
A petition calling for an end to unsafe corridor care across NHS Wales has gained more than 10,000 signatures and will now be debated in the Senedd.
The petition, supported by 10,533 people, was launched by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales and the British Medical Association (BMA) Cymru Wales.
It urges the Welsh Government to take immediate action to stop patients being treated in corridors, waiting areas and other unsuitable spaces.
Dr Manish Adke, chair of the BMA’s Welsh Consultants Committee, said: “This overwhelming response sends an unequivocal message: the Welsh public, healthcare professionals, and patients are united in their concern about the ongoing crisis of patients being treated in hospital corridors.
“Across Wales, patients are increasingly being cared for in corridors, waiting areas, and other unsuitable spaces due to chronic overcrowding and resource shortages within NHS hospitals.
“This practice exposes vulnerable individuals to a lack of privacy, dignity, and essential care, while staff struggle to deliver safe treatment without adequate equipment or support.
“Such conditions are not only distressing for patients and their families, but also place healthcare professionals in impossible situations, forced to choose between unsafe options.”
The petition follows months of reports from doctors and nurses describing unsafe conditions in hospitals.
Among the anonymous testimonies shared with the unions were accounts of patients waiting up to three days for a bed, being examined in corridors, or remaining on ambulances due to a lack of space.
One healthcare worker said: “I have seen patients where diagnoses have been missed due to inadequate places to examine them.”
Another reported: “I routinely see patients on the back of an ambulance, patients whose treatments are delayed due to no beds or cardiac monitoring spaces.”
Helen Whyley, National Director of RCN Wales, said: “We remain committed to working with policymakers and stakeholders to ensure patient safety is placed at the heart of NHS reform in Wales.
“We will continue to champion the rights of patients and staff, pressing for urgent action to address the corridor care crisis.
“The closure of the corridor care petition marks not the end, but the beginning of renewed efforts to restore dignity, safety, and high-quality care to all patients in Wales. We call on the Welsh Government to listen to healthcare professionals and the public, and to act decisively on these clear demands.”
The petition makes four key demands of the Welsh Government:
Record and report all instances of corridor care to ensure transparency and accountability.
Pause any further reductions in hospital beds until safe alternatives are in place.
Invest in community-based care to reduce pressure on hospitals.
Prioritise prevention and early intervention to keep people out of hospital.
The petition has now been formally presented to the Welsh Government, with a debate scheduled in the Senedd in November.
Spotted something? Got a story? Email News@Wrexham.com
Get notified about
news from across North Wales