He was speaking ahead of an Alliance Assembly motion next week on winter preparedness and waiting lists.

Mr Donnelly, who is Deputy Chair of Stormont’s Health Committee, has said: “To many, the situation that we’ve ended up was entirely predictable. As a nurse, I know corridor care is a clear sign of extreme strain on the system and that patient flow has broken down.

“Staff are being forced to deliver care in unsafe conditions and it isn’t fair on them or on patients. I warned the department that both hospital flow and the lack of appropriate social care provisions would be prominent issues and the Winter Preparedness Plan needed to address these.

“The plan was due in August, delayed until September, and then was not published until mid-October, after pressures were already evident throughout the summer. The plan was late, it was rushed, and it did not deal with the fundamentals. That is why we are still seeing long ambulance waits, overcrowded emergency departments, and patients treated in corridors.

“When health workers tell us they are being harmed by the conditions they are working in, that should be a red flag for government. Staff cannot carry the consequences of poor planning.

“Investing in social care is key to relieving pressure on hospitals. If you want to stop corridor care, you have to free up beds. The fastest and most effective way to do that is through social care. Safe discharge improves flow right across the system, yet it continues to be neglected.”