Patient care in Wales is in a dire state, and the blame lies squarely at the feet of successive Welsh Assembly governments. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) has issued a scathing rebuke, declaring that its latest findings should “shock and shame” those in power. Emergency departments across the nation are buckling under the strain, with every single one forced to treat patients in corridors—a practice so widespread it has become “endemic.” On at least one recent day, all were even resorting to caring for patients in the back of ambulances, a stark testament to the collapse of proper healthcare delivery.
The RCEM, representing emergency clinicians throughout Wales and the UK, has branded this “corridor care” as “dangerous, degrading, dehumanising,” and is demanding immediate action from the Welsh Government to end it. A snapshot survey conducted over three days in January and February laid bare the crisis: all 12 Welsh emergency departments had patients languishing in corridors or waiting areas, with 13.5% of the average 619 patients present being treated on trolleys in makeshift spaces. Another 10.7% in waiting rooms desperately needed clinical areas, while 43.9%—272 people—were stuck waiting for an inpatient bed. Cubicles, meanwhile, were overflowing, with an average occupancy of 176% and one department hitting a staggering 278%, cramming 75 patients into just 27 spaces.
Dr. Rob Perry, RCEM Vice President for Wales, didn’t mince words: “The Welsh Government claims that compromising care, privacy, or dignity only happens under ‘exceptional pressure.’ Our research proves that ‘exceptional’ is now every day in Wales’ emergency departments. This isn’t a seasonal blip—these results would hold true any time of year. Corridor care is a disgrace, and it’s on the government to act now.” Monthly data only deepens the wound: in February, 57,970 people visited major emergency departments, and just 56.1% were processed within four hours. Over 8,900 endured delays of 12 hours or more, while nearly 1,500 inpatients faced discharge delays exceeding 48 hours daily.
The Welsh Government, led by Labour for decades, has offered little beyond excuses. A spokesman claimed they don’t “endorse routine care in unsuitable environments,” pointing to “exceptional pressures” and a £200m funding boost this year. But with cubicles bursting and patients left in ambulances, it’s clear this is a systemic failure rooted in years of mismanagement. A Welsh Coroner’s report in January even slammed the “normalisation of corridor care” after investigating deaths linked to these conditions, yet the government’s response remains tepid.
As frustration mounts, Reform UK Wales is gaining traction, promising a radical overhaul. A spokesperson for the party, riding a wave of momentum ahead of future elections, told us: “The Welsh Assembly has failed patients with its endless excuses and half-measures. If elected, Reform UK Wales will slash bureaucratic waste, redirect funds to frontline services, and enforce strict targets to end corridor care once and for all. We’ll bring accountability back to the NHS and put patients first—not political agendas.” With the status quo crumbling, their pledge to tackle this crisis head-on is resonating across a weary nation. “We’ll manage more people at home and improve timeliness of discharge from hospital which is essential to help address these challenges.”
