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Emergency doctor 'completely terrified' of NHS winter pressures, warns of unsafe A&E care

Health secretary acknowledges winter will be 'difficult' but says corridor care unacceptable

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time1 min
A leading emergency doctor in Scotland has said she is 'completely terrified' about upcoming winter pressures on the NHS, warning that accident and emergency departments are providing unsafe levels of care with some patients spending 72 hours on trolleys in hospital corridors.

Dr Fiona Hunter, vice chair of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show that there has been a 'toxic normalisation' of corridor care, a practice she said can lead to patients dying.

Health Secretary Angela Constance, who vowed in August to 'eradicate' corridor care, acknowledged that the winter would be 'difficult' but reiterated that the practice was unacceptable. She said her priorities include reducing avoidable hospital admissions, delivering 'robust' public messaging to ensure people access the right care, improving data collection on corridor care, and moving toward a system where winter preparations are a 'year round' activity.

The comments come as Scotland's NHS faces the approach of the winter period, when demand for emergency services typically increases significantly.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The warning from a senior emergency doctor highlights the immediate risk to patient safety as winter approaches and A&E departments are already stretched.
  • Corridor care, where patients are treated on trolleys in hallways, has been described as unsafe and a symptom of systemic capacity problems.
  • The health secretary's response indicates the government recognises the issue but faces significant challenges in delivering change before winter.

Background

Winter pressures on the NHS are an annual concern in the UK, with emergency departments often struggling to meet demand. Corridor care has been a persistent problem in Scotland and elsewhere, with doctors and campaigners calling for more investment in social care and hospital capacity to free up beds. The Scottish government has previously pledged to tackle the issue.

Key Perspectives

Dr Fiona Hunter (RCEM Scotland): Argues that corridor care has become normalised and is unsafe. She calls for an immediate end to overcrowding in A&E and better conditions for patients. Angela Constance (Scottish Health Secretary): Accepts that winter will be difficult but insists that corridor care is unacceptable. Her focus is on prevention, better public messaging, and year-round planning. Patients and families: Those affected by long waits and corridor care face deteriorating health outcomes and indignity. Their experiences underpin the urgency of the issue.

What to Watch

  • Whether the Scottish government publishes new data on corridor care rates, as the health secretary indicated.
  • The effectiveness of the 'robust public messaging' campaign in reducing avoidable hospital admissions.
  • Emergency department waiting time statistics over the winter months as a measure of whether corridor care is actually reduced.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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