Thank you for contacting me about hospital beds in England.
I am afraid that I am unable to attend the debate you mention on 8 July, however, I understand your concerns about the availability of hospital beds and the prevalence of "corridor care".
I recognise many hospitals are facing challenges with bed space. NHS England has promised to publish data on corridor care in May 2026, which will help to understand the extent of the issue in hospitals across England.
In the meantime, I believe the Government must act with greater urgency to tackle the biggest causes of hospital admissions and pressures on bed space, including RSV and flu infections. I am particularly concerned by low vaccination rates among eligible groups, including pregnant women and people under 75 in a clinical risk group; Ministers must prioritise increasing vaccination rates for RSV, COVID-19, and the flu to avoid preventable hospital admissions.
I understand the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the Government on eligibility criteria for vaccines, has recommended that the RSV vaccine should be made available to over-80s and all care home residents through the NHS.
Ministers have accepted this recommendation, but it is vitally important that they take steps to raise awareness of the RSV vaccine programme being expanded from 1 April 2026.
I believe it is unacceptable that many patients are left waiting to be treated on corridors for very significant periods of time. The Government committed to make progress on this issue as part of its revised Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, and it is important that Ministers are held to account on the commitments they have made to patients, including on corridor care.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
