Health leaders urged to ‘fix situation’ as patients left in hospital corridors for ‘dangerously long periods’

Patients are being left in hospital corridors for “dangerously long periods” health leaders have warned. The long waits mean patients are missing timely access to specialist care.

New data shows fewer than one in five acutely unwell patients are receiving their first assessment in an acute medical unit (AMU), the The Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) said.

AMUs are short stay assessment and admission units for patients who need specialist assessment and/or opinion. Patients are referred to AMUs by emergency department (A&E) doctors, other hospital departments, or directly by a GP.

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Source: The Independent, 10 October 2025

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