Using ambulances and corridors as 'treatment rooms' unacceptable, says union

Long delays in handing over patients from ambulances to hospitals are causing their condition to worsen, with some dying as a result, according to a new report.

Unison said 'car park care' is still a huge issue as patients wait in the back of ambulances and in hospital corridors due to long A&E handover delays.

The union said a survey of more than 600 frontline emergency staff in England revealed an "alarming snapshot" of how bed shortages and mounting NHS pressures have led to patients spending up to 12 hours stuck in ambulances or on hospital trolleys.

Three in five ambulance workers surveyed said the condition of patients deteriorated while in their care and over one in 30 (3%) reported people had died because they could not be taken to A&E departments in time.

Unison said ambulances have effectively become makeshift wards because hospitals lack capacity.

More than a quarter of those surveyed said vehicles are used as extra space for hospital staff to assess or care for patients during almost all of the shifts.

Half said they have transferred patients to X-ray, CT scans or other tests and then returned them to the back of an ambulance.

Unison national ambulance officer Sharan Bandesha said: "Using ambulances or corridors as makeshift treatment rooms is unacceptable and unsafe, especially when patients need urgent treatment.

"Ambulance staff can no longer do the job they trained for - to save lives by getting people the care they need.

"Crews are forced to watch for hours on end as sick and vulnerable people get worse due to overflowing wards.

"The car park care crisis can't be allowed to continue."

One ambulance worker said he considered leaving patients at home so they did not have to queue for hours.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "While last winter saw the best ambulance and A&E performance for almost half a decade, we know too many patients are still waiting too long.

"That's why expert NHS teams are supporting the areas facing the greatest pressure, alongside expanded urgent treatment centres and action to improve patient flow through hospitals.

"At the same time, we are helping more people get care in the community through improved access to GP and pharmacy services and mental health support closer to home, reducing avoidable pressure on emergency departments and helping patients get the right care faster."

An NHS spokesperson said: "Over the last year the NHS has made significant progress in improving the delivery of urgent and emergency care.

"Throughout this year we have seen record-breaking demand for hospital services, but staff right across the NHS are working hard to ensure that ambulance handovers take no longer than 45 minutes."

(c) Sky News 2026: Using ambulances and corridors as 'treatment rooms' unacceptable, says union