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NHS Winter Crisis Looms: Patients Face Corridor Care
3 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Patients face hours on trolleys in corridors and cupboards due to lack of capacity.
- Trolley waits of 12 hours or more have surged 90-fold in six years.
- Doctors' strike planned for December 17 will add immense pressure on the NHS.
The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is anticipating a 'devastating' winter, with a new report highlighting the severe consequences of under-capacity. Patients are enduring lengthy waits on trolleys in corridors and even cupboards, a situation exacerbated by insufficient urgency from the government in boosting hospital and care home capacity.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) expresses alarm over the growing gap between hospital bed demand and availability. This has led to staff performing intimate examinations in public areas and patients being left in non-clinical spaces. The situation is dire, with trolley waits of 12 hours or more increasing dramatically, and bed numbers falling, creating a perfect storm for the coming months.
Adding to these pressures, resident doctors are planning a five-day strike in the lead-up to Christmas. This industrial action, called by the British Medical Association (BMA), is expected to cause significant disruption, placing immense strain on the NHS during a critical period of rising flu cases and peak winter demand, despite government assurances of investment.
