Arrowe Park Hospital chaperoned Enter and View – March 2026

16 April 2026

About Arrowe Park Hospital Accident and Emergency Department -Enter and View Visit

Healthwatch Wirral carried out an Enter and View visit to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department at Arrowe Park Hospital. The visit was a planned, chaperoned engagement that involved Healthwatch Wirral Authorised Representatives (HWWARs) spending time within the department, supported by senior clinical leadership, to gain first‑hand insight into the environment and how services operate during periods of pressure.

The purpose of this visit was to develop a clearer understanding of the use and management of Temporary Escalation Areas within A&E, sometimes referred to as “corridor care”. Rather than acting as an inspection or audit, the visit aimed to familiarise Healthwatch Wirral with local processes and decision‑making, helping to inform future engagement, ongoing monitoring, and collaborative work to ensure patient, staff and family experiences remain at the heart of urgent and emergency care services.

Report Summary

At the time of the visit, Corridors 2 and 3 were not open. The department was undergoing major refurbishment, and the areas HWWARs visited appeared exceptionally clean and projected an atmosphere of calm. Some spaces, including the room allocated for personal care on Corridor 2 and other non‑refurbished areas, would benefit from modernisation and refreshing, and HWWARs noted a lack of clear signage indicating current use of some occupied areas.

Because this was a chaperoned familiarisation visit, HWWARs did not experience the process through a patient’s lens. Staff explained the purpose and process for opening Temporary Escalation Areas, and HWWARs identified this visit as preparatory work for a future unannounced visit, which will follow a patient journey from arrival through to next steps. HWWARs observed that corridor use varied depending on demand and noted the importance of a reactive approach to understanding pressures during busier periods.

HWWARs discussed staff wellbeing and the concept of Moral Injury within the context of corridor care. Healthwatch Wirral contributed to the development of the Red Line Toolkit and highlighted the importance of recognising staff pressures when they feel unable to deliver the standard of care they believe is necessary. HWWARs noted existing practices such as staff huddles taking place three times daily and identified opportunities to strengthen routine checks on staff wellbeing and escalation routes during these discussions.

HWWARs highlighted that future visits will seek assurances that safe staffing, appropriate skill mix and patient safety remain central when Temporary Escalation Areas are in use. They also plan to review how the Red Line Toolkit operates in practice, particularly following completion of the Urgent & Emergency Care Upgrade Programme. Healthwatch Wirral identified the value of using its independence to assess quality, equality and impact for patients, families and staff during periods of peak pressure.

Click here for our other Enter and View reports

Read our full Enter and View report below for Arrowe Park Hopsital Accident and Emergency Department.