Coroners warn of risk to lives without urgent reform of NHS adult care

Ambulances queue for hours outside A&E departments because of a lack of available beds. Photograph: Aaron Chown/PA

Health secretary Wes Streeting has been urged to speed up reforms to the adult care system in the wake of patient deaths after two coroners warned him of the impact insufficient care beds and service provision are having on the NHS.

Last month, coroners sent two ­prevention of future deaths (PFD) reports to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) after the ­inability to discharge patients at two hospitals was linked to the deaths of others awaiting treatment.