Viewers of Good Morning Britain were met with heartbreaking news just minutes into Friday’s (January 30) episode, as co-hosts Kate Garraway and Ranvir Singh reported the tragic death of a former guest.
The announcement came amid a wider discussion about the NHS corridor care crisis.
Good Morning Britain hosts announce ‘devastating’ death
The show opened with a sobering update on the backlog facing England’s hospitals. Ranvir highlighted that nearly 13,000 people a day are medically fit for discharge but have nowhere to go due to a lack of social care support.
“It means that people in need are stuck in casualty,” she said, revealing that nearly 5,000 patients died last summer while waiting for a hospital bed.
Kate described the situation as “deeply concerning”. She noted that corridors, waiting rooms, and even storage spaces are being turned into makeshift wards.
ITV senior correspondent Jonathan Swain joined the discussion to illustrate the real-life impact of the crisis.
He reminded viewers of Tommy, a man who had previously appeared on the show after spending his 60th birthday in a hospital corridor.
In a pre-recorded interview that aired two weeks ago, Tommy had described the experience as “mental cruelty”.
“I wouldn’t like my worst enemy to go through this,” he said at the time. “It’s not human. It’s not right.”
Jonathan then delivered the devastating update. “Sadly, Tommy’s family have told us they are devastated he’s now died.”
Although his death wasn’t directly linked to the hospital care he received, his family wanted to share the conditions he endured.
‘Emergency departments are associated with an increased risk of dying’
Swain explained that last year was “the worst on record” for NHS discharge delays, with only 15 days across the entire year where hospital discharges operated as intended.
The delays, he said, are not only inconvenient, but they’re deadly.
Dr Ian Higginson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, echoed the alarm.
He warned that “long waits in emergency departments are associated with an increased risk of dying.” He also described the emotional toll on frontline staff, revealing that senior nurses were brought to tears during recent shifts.
“At times, I feel like crying too,” Higginson admitted.
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