NHS faces escalating crisis as staff shortages and corridor care threaten patient safety

The Royal College of Physicians warns that ongoing NHS staffing crises are leading to unsafe corridor care, delayed discharges, and increased reliance on agency staff, demanding urgent government action and a long-term workforce strategy.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has issued a stark warning about the severe staff shortages plaguing the NHS, urging urgent and coordinated action to prevent further deterioration in patient care. According to the RCP’s latest Focus on Physicians Survey, a majority of consultants are working amid worrying gaps in senior medical staff, with 59 per cent reporting vacancies in their own grade. These gaps are not merely administrative concerns but are having direct consequences on patient outcomes, with 83 per cent of consultants expressing concern over the negative impact on patient care.

The survey revealed that the most immediate effects of these staffing shortages are reduced access to out-of-hours inpatient care, reported by nearly 40 per cent of respondents, and longer hospital stays for patients. Delayed discharges from hospitals are widespread, with two-thirds of specialists encountering such issues, an indicator both of pressure within hospital walls and bottlenecks in patient flow due to insufficient social care provision.

Furthermore, the RCP’s snapshot survey highlighted a deeply troubling reality: 59 per cent of doctors confirmed they had to care for patients in temporary and inappropriate spaces such as corridors, offices, or cupboards during the summer months. This “corridor care,” increasingly seen as symptomatic of systemic overextension, is described by Professor Mumtaz Patel, RCP president, as “unsafe and unsustainable” and one that “must never become normalised.” The college has called for a national commitment to end this practice, alongside demands for a long-term workforce strategy with independently verified projections for needed consultants and specialists.

The pressures extend to training and retention of the next generation of doctors. Only 44 per cent of resident doctors surveyed were satisfied with their clinical training, while nearly half expressed a desire to work less than full time in future, reflecting growing concerns about work-life balance and pressure burnout. Alarmingly, over a third were uncertain if they would remain in the NHS within five years. Dr Catherine Rowan and Dr Stephen Joseph, co-chairs of the RCP resident doctor committee, underscored how persistent “firefighting” in service delivery limits time for essential supervision and education, which are crucial for maintaining patient safety and developing competent consultants.

These findings echo other recent data highlighting NHS workforce challenges. A UK-wide census conducted by the RCP found that over half of advertised consultant physician posts in England and Wales remained unfilled last year, largely due to a lack of applicants. This marks the highest vacancy rate since records began in 2008, a worrying trend accentuated by increased demand on services. The King’s Fund corroborates this with figures showing an 8.4 per cent NHS vacancy rate in England as of September 2023, equating to around 121,000 unfilled full-time posts, alongside nearly 10 per cent vacancy rates in social care roles, hampering patient discharge and flow.

Experts point out that these staffing shortages have direct safety and financial repercussions. Skills for Health highlights how inadequate staffing compromises patient safety and increases risks of harm, while the NHS has been forced to spend an estimated £3 billion on agency staff in 2023–24 to plug workforce gaps. This costly reliance on temporary staff is unsustainable in the long term.

The RCP has also responded to workforce reports from bodies such as the Health Foundation’s REAL Centre and the General Medical Council, reinforcing the urgent need for a comprehensive and transparent NHS workforce plan. Sir Andrew Goddard, RCP president, and Dr Sarah Clarke, current RCP president, have both called for expanded training and recruitment efforts, including increasing medical school places to 15,000 to train more UK doctors and addressing issues within working environments that hinder retention and professional development.

In light of these challenges, the RCP recommends not only boosting staffing numbers but also investing heavily in social care infrastructure to facilitate patient flow and prevent delays in discharge. Without urgent government commitment to tackle both workforce shortages and systemic pressures such as corridor care, the NHS risks further erosion in the quality and safety of patient care.

📌 Reference Map:

• ^[1] (The Independent) – Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• ^[2] (Royal College of Physicians) – Paragraph 6
• ^[3] (Royal College of Physicians) – Paragraph 7
• ^[4] (The King’s Fund) – Paragraph 8
• ^[6] (Skills for Health) – Paragraph 9
• ^[5] (Royal College of Physicians) – Paragraph 10
• ^[7] (Royal College of Physicians) – Paragraph 11

Source: Noah Wire Services

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score:
8

Notes:
The narrative is recent, published on 11 November 2025. The RCP’s latest Focus on Physicians Survey, referenced in the report, aligns with this timeframe. However, similar concerns about NHS staff shortages have been reported in previous years, such as in 2023. ([rcplondon.ac.uk](https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news-and-media/news-and-opinion/press-release-royal-college-of-physicians-responds-to-the-latest-nhs-performance-stats/?utm_source=openai)) The report includes updated data, which justifies a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. ([rcplondon.ac.uk](https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news-and-media/news-and-opinion/press-release-staff-satisfaction-in-the-nhs-falls-due-to-staff-shortages-yet-long-term-workforce-plan-remains-unpublished/?utm_source=openai)) The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. ([rcplondon.ac.uk](https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news-and-media/news-and-opinion/press-release-royal-college-of-physicians-responds-to-the-latest-nhs-performance-stats/?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score:
9

Notes:
The direct quotes from Dr Sarah Clarke, president of the Royal College of Physicians, are consistent with her previous statements on NHS staff shortages. ([rcplondon.ac.uk](https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news-and-media/news-and-opinion/press-release-royal-college-of-physicians-responds-to-the-latest-nhs-performance-stats/?utm_source=openai)) No significant variations in wording were found, indicating the quotes are reused.

Source reliability

Score:
10

Notes:
The narrative originates from The Independent, a reputable UK news outlet, and references official statements from the Royal College of Physicians, a respected medical organisation. This enhances the credibility of the report.

Plausability check

Score:
9

Notes:
The claims about NHS staff shortages and their impact on patient care are consistent with previous reports and data from the Royal College of Physicians. ([rcplondon.ac.uk](https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news-and-media/news-and-opinion/press-release-royal-college-of-physicians-responds-to-the-latest-nhs-performance-stats/?utm_source=openai)) The language and tone are appropriate for the topic and region. No excessive or off-topic details are present.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary:
The narrative is recent and based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. The quotes are consistent with previous statements, indicating they are reused. The sources are reputable, and the claims are plausible and consistent with prior reports. No significant issues were identified, leading to a PASS verdict with high confidence.