A Bill to place a duty on the Secretary of State to ensure that patients spend no longer than 12 hours between arriving at the accident and emergency department of a hospital and being admitted to hospital, transferred for care elsewhere or discharged; to require the Secretary of State to publish proposals for measures to eliminate the provision of accident and emergency care services in corridors and other spaces not intended for the provision of such services; and for connected purposes.
House of Commons
Helen MorganLiberal Democrat
19 January 2026
May contain errors — check source documents for definitive information.
This Bill would require the government to ensure that patients arriving at hospital A&E do not spend more than 12 hours there before being admitted, transferred for care elsewhere, or discharged. It also requires the government to publish proposals to end A&E care being provided in corridors or other spaces not designed for care. The goal is to speed up patient flow and improve safety and dignity in A&E departments.
The bill has completed the first reading and is currently at the second reading in the House of Commons. If it advances, it would proceed to committee stage for detailed scrutiny, followed by further readings.
Generated 21 February 2026
14 Jan 2026
29 May 2026
The next stage for this Bill, Second reading, is scheduled to take place on Friday 29 May 2026 although the House of Commons is not expected to be sitting on that date.
This is a Private Members' Bill and was presented to Parliament on Wednesday 14 January 2026.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
