Paul Scott, chief executive of East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), called corridor care “unacceptable” and made ending it a key priority.
Mr Scott said: “Any use of corridor care is unacceptable to me, to our staff and for the patients who experience it.
“Looking ahead, our ambition is to significantly reduce corridor care this winter and be well on the way to eliminating it over the next 12 months.
“We have already seen improvements, and we will make sure the steps we have taken continue.”
The trust runs Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, plus several community hospitals, and says it uses corridors only during extreme demand.
Patients placed in corridors are assessed first, given access to a registered nurse and monitored as closely as ward patients.
Mr Scott said Ipswich Hospital usually has a stable number of available beds, although corridor care is sometimes used temporarily.
Ipswich Hospital. (Image: Newsquest)
With winter approaching, he acknowledged the extra strain on emergency services and patient flow.
Mr Scott said: “Winter pressures are a challenge for every NHS organisation.
“Our teams are experienced in managing these pressures.
“We continue to strengthen our operational plans to make sure patients receive timely care and treatment while maintaining safety and quality.”
The trust is focusing on patient flow, maximising capacity and working with health and care partners to treat patients in the right setting.
ESNEFT is also planning a long-term overhaul of its healthcare services.
The plans include bringing more specialist and regional services closer to patients’ homes, expanding electronic records and providing more care in homes and communities.
Mr Scott said the changes would cut avoidable hospital admissions and keep services sustainable as demand grows.
ESNEFT serves nearly one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex, making it one of the East of England’s largest NHS organisations.
Ipswich Hospital was judged to require improvement by the Care Quality Commission in March 2026, after inspectors found patients had waited up to 20 hours for treatment.