More than 3,500 patients a day received care in hospital corridors or makeshift treatment areas in England last month, the highest figure since records began, new NHS data shows.

The latest performance figures from NHS England show an average of 3,558 patients received corridor care each day in October, with 2,718 in accident and emergency departments and 840 in other hospital areas. That is up from a revised average of 3,310 patients a day in September and the highest since figures for corridor care started being collected in May. The figures cover patients who have been receiving corridor care for at least 45 minutes.

Record A&E attendances

October was also a record month for emergency departments. A record 2.50 million people visited A&E departments in England in October, the first time monthly attendances have passed two and a half million.

In emergency departments, 74.0% of patients were seen within four hours in October, down slightly from 74.4% in September. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper acknowledged that pressures in the NHS will increase as winter approaches.

Waiting list at highest level in nearly a year

The waiting list for routine hospital treatment has risen to its highest level in nearly a year: an estimated 7.38 million treatments were waiting at the end of September, relating to 6.24 million patients, up slightly from 7.37 million at the end of August and the highest since October 2025, when the list stood at 7.40 million.

Long waits also increased, with an estimated 116,353 people waiting more than a year to start routine treatment at the end of September, up from 113,339 at the end of August. Just 65.8% of patients are being treated within 18 weeks, against the government’s pledge of 92% by 2029.

Sources: Press Association via The Oldham Times; Press Association via Glasgow Times