East Lancashire patients see improvements as crackdown on NHS corridor care reaches Royal Blackburn Hospital

NHS leaders say targeted support is now being given to hospitals facing the most pressure, including those serving communities in Burnley, Pendle and surrounding areas, as part of a national plan to end so-called “corridor care” by the end of this Parliament.

Early results suggest the approach is already making a difference locally. At Royal Blackburn Hospital, the main corridor in A&E has been cleared of patients, alongside an 18% reduction in waits of more than 12 hours.

The work is being led by NHS England’s Getting it Right First Time team, which is providing tailored clinical support to hospital leaders. The programme focuses on improving how patients move through hospitals, speeding up discharges and helping staff better anticipate busy periods.

Health leaders say the majority of corridor care is concentrated in a small number of NHS trusts, and targeted support is helping to relieve pressure where it is needed most.

For patients in East Lancashire, this means fewer long waits and more dignified care, particularly during busy periods in emergency departments.

The improvements come alongside wider plans to expand urgent care services across the North West, aimed at ensuring more people are treated in the right place without needing to attend A&E.

Urgent Treatment Centres and Same Day Emergency Care services are being expanded across the region. These services treat less serious conditions such as minor injuries, infections and urgent but stable illnesses, helping to ease pressure on emergency departments like the one at Royal Blackburn.

Nationally, the government has committed more than £215 million to create and expand 40 urgent care sites, with some new services expected to open later this year ahead of winter.

Dr Michael Gregory, NHS England’s Regional Medical Director for the North West, said corridor care is “not acceptable” and that changes already under way are helping reduce long waits and improve patient experience.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the government is determined to end what he described as “undignified” treatment in corridors by sending in specialist teams and increasing frontline capacity.

NHS England has also introduced a formal definition of corridor care for the first time, with data set to be published from May, alongside a new “model emergency department” blueprint. This will see more senior clinicians assessing patients earlier, helping ensure people are treated more quickly and, where possible, away from busy A&E departments.

Professor Tim Briggs, who leads the GIRFT programme, said early progress is encouraging and lessons learned in hospitals like Royal Blackburn will now be rolled out across the NHS.

He added: “We’re working hard to support the trusts facing the biggest challenges with patient flow and we’re seeing some good early evidence of reductions in corridor care for patients.

“We have worked alongside these trusts to produce guidance and standards, as well as providing hands-on support, which will help them significantly reduce corridor care. Our focus over the next six months is to take what we’ve learned and cascade it across the whole NHS, so we can improve care for patients and eliminate this issue once and for all.”