More than half of nurses have treated terminally ill patients in corridors or other makeshift spaces, leading to undignified deaths and poor quality care, according to a report.
Crippling staff shortages and overcrowding within the National Health Service (NHS) are forcing some of the most vulnerable patients to languish on trolleys, where they must go to the toilet and even die in the "full glare of the public," nurses told researchers. The survey of 1,153 UK nurses and healthcare professionals by the charity Marie Curie and Nursing Standard found that 55% had cared for patients in non-clinical areas such as cupboards and offices.
More than seven in ten respondents indicated that treatment in areas not designed for end-of-life care compromised patient dignity and caused distress to families. Staffing levels were cited as a constraint by 72% of nurses, while 56% identified a lack of time as a significant issue.
Problems with care planning were also highlighted, leading to uncertainty about patient wishes and, in some instances, resuscitation against their stated desires. More than a third of nurses reported witnessing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed when they felt it was inappropriate. One nurse recounted a case where CPR was administered to a terminal cancer patient who ultimately died in a bathroom, an event described as "undignified" and "traumatizing" for staff and family.
Sarah Williamson, director of nursing and quality at Marie Curie, stated that corridor care is a symptom of a system under strain, with emergency departments becoming a default for end-of-life crises when no other options are available. She urged the UK Government to implement a fully funded plan for 24/7 palliative care and coordinated support closer to home to reduce reliance on emergency services.
The Royal College of Nursing's chief nursing officer, Professor Lynn Woolsey, emphasized the unacceptability of patients receiving care in hospital corridors, noting that these areas are unsafe and lack essential equipment like oxygen and suction. She called for government action to keep people comfortable in their homes, highlighting the critical role of district nurses, whose numbers have declined. Boosting hospital bed numbers and ensuring sufficient nursing staff for safe and dignified care were also cited as necessities.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson acknowledged that patients at the end of life deserve safe and dignified care, not treatment in corridors. The department stated it is committed to ending corridor care and has begun publishing data to identify areas of greatest pressure. A new framework for palliative and end-of-life care is set to be published this autumn, aiming to improve access to high-quality, personalized care and strengthen advance care planning.