A recent survey carried out by The Royal College of Emergency Medicine found over three days in January and February that all 12 Welsh emergency departments had patients being treated in corridors or waiting areas - a problem it described as ‘endemic.’

In February 2025, 13,616 patients attended an emergency department within the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, with 14.9 percent of those waiting more than eight hours and 9.8 percent waiting for more than twelve hours. The target waiting time in Wales is four hours.

Monmouth MS, Peter Fox responded to the survey by calling on the Welsh Government to comply with the recommendations of The Royal College of Nursing to ensure that Wales can deal with the rising issue of corridor care in our hospitals.

Mr Fox said: “The Welsh Government must get a grip on this concerning situation. We hear consistently of unacceptable delays in our A and Es and for treatment, with some of my residents waiting two or more years for minor procedures.”

“Behind every poor statistic, we must remember there is a person in need of medical help, waiting to be seen. We now hear of patients being treated in corridors because there are not enough beds available, this is simply not good enough, and our residents deserve the dignity of being treated in appropriate facilities, they must have a bed.”

“The issue with corridor care is certainly not the fault of our doctors, nurses and healthcare staff, who do a fantastic job for us all, day in and day out. This is down to system failure.”

“The Welsh Government must comply with the eight recommendations from The Royal College of Nursing, so that Wales can get to grips with this terrible problem.”