Hospitals ‘can’t avoid’ using corridors to provide care amid calls to address risks

Some NHS hospitals are adapting corridors and other non-clinical spaces for patient care, installing plug sockets and emergency call bells to minimise safety risks, a new investigation has found.

Senior staff informed the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) that they made these investments because they "could not avoid using these spaces".

A report by the health safety watchdog stated hospitals "may have no choice" but to utilise these areas, urging health leaders and trusts to collaborate and "systematically address" the risks.

The HSSIB called for a "nationally agreed definition" of these temporary care environments, which include corridors, offices, and storerooms, alongside a clearer understanding of their usage across the NHS.

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Source: The Independent,  8 January 2026

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