To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety how many patients have been treated in beds in hospital corridors in the last month; and what his Department is doing to avoid the use of such beds.

At key pressure times, situations have arisen where non-designated beds have been used by a patient where an inpatient bed is not immediately available. It is not possible to determine the number of patients who have been treated in a non-designated bed in a hospital corridor, as these are not included as bed stock on the Patient Administration System. There have been occasions where patients have been placed in such a bed for brief periods in a select range of ward environments to either reallocate beds to meet unscheduled patient needs or to alleviate pressures on an Emergency Department.

Trusts are expected to ensure that any additional beds have the appropriate staffing levels and are in clinical areas that do not compromise the safety and/or dignity of patients.