Patients being cared for in corridors or offices is becoming “normalised” as a result of overcrowding in Scots hospitals, nursing chiefs have warned.
A damning report from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) details the experiences of health workers forced to deliver so-called “corridor care” as a result of unsafe and undignified conditions in hospitals.
It warns patients are being put at risk and lives are being lost due to the NHS struggling to meet demand this winter.
Neil Gray, the Health Secretary, insisted today corridor care was not to be expected by patients. “No, I don’t believe this is an inevitability,” he said.
“I am working across Government, and with our health boards, to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions, such as providing same-day emergency service.”
But Colin Pullman, RCN Scotland director, said he disagreed with Gray over the prevalence of corridor care in hospitals.
“The issue we’ve highlighted today, we all know it’s happened in the past, but it’s becoming more regular, and it’s becoming normalised,” he said. “To say that’s not the case, I have to disagree strongly”.
Pullman added: “People don’t expect to be treated absolutely instantaneously when they go into a department. What’s now happening is people are being looked after in areas that are completely inappropriate for patient care, such as corridors or offices.
“Nurses have come forward and told us, this is their words. It’s not ours. This is their experience. Looking after patients in areas not designed for patient care adds huge pressure.
“As one nurse reported, a department which had space for 13 patients, had 40 patients. What happens when you are in corridors, is they don’t have access to all equipment.
“They are stretched. And that compromises dignity and confidentiality. And unfortunately, it brings harm to staff and patients.
“One distressing comment from one of our colleagues was she was starting to have nightmares, based on her experiences. That is unacceptable.”
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