ALMOST one in five people in England has received or witnessed NHS care being delivered in non-medical areas such as corridors or waiting rooms in the last six months, according to a new survey.

The poll, conducted for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), also found nine in 10 people believe tackling corridor care in the health service is a matter of urgency.

The college is calling for mandatory reporting and more investment for nursing staff.

The YouGov survey of 2,267 adults found 19 per cent had either received or witnessed care being given in areas like corridors, waiting rooms, offices and car parks in the last six months.

Nine in 10 (90 per cent) said tackling corridor care is either very or fairly urgent, while almost half (48 per cent) think if the government does take action, it could be eradicated within one year.

Professor Nicola Ranger, chief executive and general secretary of the RCN, said: “The public and nursing staff can see a tragedy for patients unfolding before their eyes.

“The first step it can take to protect patients from corridor care is to introduce mandatory reporting of any time it takes place.

“But to properly solve this crisis, the government has to bring forward new and urgent investment into the nursing workforce, especially in the community and social care. That is the key to keeping patients healthy at home and easing pressures on hospitals.”

Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: “We need urgent investment in community, primary care and hospital capacity, robust staffing plans, and full transparency through mandatory reporting. The longer we wait, the more lives will be put at risk. Patients deserve better.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are investing £26 billion in the NHS and social care over the next two years, vaccinating more people against flu than this time last year, and ended the resident doctor strikes so staff are on the front line during winter.”