Recurring concern

Unreliable formal safety-incident management processes

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First reported 29 May 2013•Latest report 10 Mar 2026

Definition

What this concern includes

Includes failures of a formal organisational safety-incident or serious-incident management framework, including incident identification, grading, coordination, investigation, monitoring and control.

Not included

  • Excludes failures limited to implementing corrective actions after incident learning has already been established.
  • Excludes generic organisational learning, governance or incident-reporting deficiencies where no serious-incident management process is identified.
  • Excludes the underlying clinical or operational hazard and failures in ordinary care that are not part of serious-incident management.
  • Excludes investigations concerning deaths, complaints, crime or regulatory matters where the reported concern is not the management of a serious or untoward incident.
  • Excludes operational emergency-response, rescue and event-planning protocols that are not part of a formal organisational safety-incident management framework.
Reports
103

Distinct published reports

Individual concerns
129

A report can raise multiple concerns

Date range
2013–2026

First to latest report issue date

Stated actions
182

Described in published responses

Reports over time

Reports over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

Department of Health and Social Care16
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust10
NHS England10
Care Quality Commission9
Barts Health NHS Trust5
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust5
East London NHS Foundation Trust3
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust3
Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust3
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust3
General Medical Council2
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust2
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust2
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence2
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust2

Concerns and responses across reports

Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

  1. Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

    AI-generated summary

    Danny Sweet · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Danny Sweet, who had a long history of mental health issues, took a staggered paracetamol overdose on 23 October 2015 and died the next day in Treliske Hospital. Concerns included the rapid transfer and discharge between mental health services despite earlier consideration of informal admission, difficulties assessing his inconsistent presentation, inconsistent treatment decisions and records, and an incomplete Serious Incident Report.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Incomplete serious incident review lacking formal interviews of relevant clinicians

    Wider context from the report

    “A final matter that came out of the inquest was that the Serious Incident Report was incomplete. In particular, neither ████████ nor ████████ had been formally interviewed as part of the review process. You may feel that there would be merit in getting the respective clinicians from the relevant departments (Hospital Liaison, HTT and CMHT) together to see if there are any lessons to be learned. ”

    Source location

    Danny Sweet · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 3 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Ensure all key clinicians within investigation terms of reference participate in future Serious Incident investigations.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The Trust acknowledges that the Serious Incident Report is incomplete. There are learning points for the Trust in relation to Serious Incident Investigations and the Trust’s Director of Quality and Governance/Executive Nurse, ████████ will take this forward. We will ensure that in the future all key clinicians, within the Terms of Reference, are involved in future investigations. We have also identified the importance of providing feedback to staff interviewed for the purposes of the investigation.”

    Source location

    2016-0275-Response-by-Cornwall-NHS-Trust
    Page 2 · response
    Published 29 July 2016

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Review the Trust’s Serious Incident investigation process.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “In summary there will be action taken by the Trust by way of a Learning from Experience Meeting to consider ways of developing a pathway; how to engage friends and family and to allow a further period of reflection. It is expected that an action plan will be developed at the Learning from Experience meeting. There will also be a review of the clinical risk assessments of people who present with suicidal thoughts or acts by the end of February 2017 and we will review the Trust’s Serious Investigation process.”

    Source location

    2016-0275-Response-by-Cornwall-NHS-Trust
    Page 3 · response
    Published 29 July 2016

    Open published response
  2. Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire

    AI-generated summary

    Nadim Muzzfar BUTT · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Nadim Muzzfar BUTT died on 5 September 2014 after complications following laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery, including small bowel obstruction, systemic inflammatory response syndrome and multi-organ failure. The report raised concerns that the hospital review was not escalated to a serious untoward incident or root cause analysis, and that no consultant-led out-of-hours on-call rota was in place for postoperative patients.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to escalate matters for comprehensive serious incident or root cause review

    Wider context from the report

    “1, Whilst the hospital sought a review of procedures and protocols the matter was not elevated to a serious untoward incident or root cause analysis where all matters including clinical and nursing decisions were reviewed and subjected to critical examination. ”

    Source location

    Nadim Muzzfar BUTT · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
  3. Staffordshire South

    AI-generated summary

    Angela Catherine Brealey · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Angela Brealey was found dead at home on 19 September 2014 after hanging herself. She was receiving treatment from local secondary psychiatric services, but no full assessment by a Consultant Psychiatrist had been carried out. Concerns included the handling and confidentiality of information from third parties, limited multidisciplinary team involvement, and whether pressure on serious incident reviewers reduced the effectiveness of the review.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Serious incident reviews failing to identify treatment concerns

    Wider context from the report

    “(3) Generally the serious incident review process is a very helpful one. In this particular case however a number of concerns about Angela’s treatment were not picked up by the review. Is pressure on those carrying out this process reducing the effectiveness of the reports? ”

    Source location

    Angela Catherine Brealey · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Review and amend the Serious Incident Review Process, with structured internal and external governance arrangements.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Thank you for your comments regarding the overall helpfulness of the Serious Incident Review Process. I can confirm that since the time of this specific Serious Incident Review, the process has been reviewed and amended. The Serious Incident Review Process follows a structured and robust process with internal and external governance arrangements in place.”

    Source location

    2015-0473-Response-by-South-Staffordshire-and-Shropshire-Healthcare-NHS-Trust
    Page 3 · response
    Published 24 December 2015

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Employ a full-time Serious Incident Review Co-ordinator and Administrator to support investigations and improve the quality of serious incident reports and reviews.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The Trust now employs full-time Serious Incident Review Co-ordinator and Administrator to support Investigating Officers in the review process. The Serious Incident Review Co-ordinator works within the Trust’s Quality and Risk Department to help improve processes that are used to ensure the quality production of reports relevant to serious incidents. They support Investigating Officers in the completion of Serious Incident Reports and Significant Event Reviews and are responsible for the completion of Chronological and concise reports. The Serious Incident Review Co-ordinator supports and encourages an open and fair approach to incident identification and investigation, supported by a learning culture.”

    Source location

    2015-0473-Response-by-South-Staffordshire-and-Shropshire-Healthcare-NHS-Trust
    Page 3 · response
    Published 24 December 2015

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Require commissioners to conduct a challenge review before signing serious incident reports for release.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “In addition the reports now go through an additional governance process in that our commissioners carry out a challenge review prior to signing the report off for release.”

    Source location

    2015-0473-Response-by-South-Staffordshire-and-Shropshire-Healthcare-NHS-Trust
    Page 3 · response
    Published 24 December 2015

    Open published response
  4. Inner North London

    AI-generated summary

    Vasilis KTORAKIS · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Baby Vasilis was born in an extremely poor condition following a long labour at Whittington Hospital on 23 May 2015 and died shortly thereafter. The report identified concerns about the timing of Syntocinon, inadequate recording of a management plan, a registrar’s decision regarding passive descent, and failures to involve staff in the investigation and communicate its findings for learning.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to include involved registrars’ input in untoward incident investigations

    Wider context from the report

    “4. The first registrar was not asked to contribute to the hospital’s untoward incident investigation, so there was a systemic failure to understand the value of her input, resulting in a loss of learning for the organisation and for the registrar. ”

    Source location

    Vasilis KTORAKIS · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
  5. West Sussex

    AI-generated summary

    Mrs Wanda Stachurska · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Mrs Wanda Stachurska was found deceased on 18 November 2014 after being discharged from hospital the previous evening following a suicide attempt involving an overdose and attempted hanging. Concerns included the quality of the mental health risk assessment, including the use of an untrained security guard as an interpreter and the failure to communicate relevant information about the earlier attempted hanging. The report also raised concerns that neither Trust conducted a serious incident review after her death.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to undertake a serious incident review after a patient death shortly after discharge

    Wider context from the report

    “(2) Neither SASH nor SABP had considered that they should undertake a serious incident review into the case despite the death of a patient only a few hours after discharge. (a) An opportunity to learn lessons from the above events has hence been delayed and potentially been lost; (b) To decline to conduct a serious incident review because of a pre-determined opinion that there had been not been any omissions or shortcomings by the organisation might reflect a misunderstanding by SASH of the purpose and value of such investigations. ”

    Source location

    Mrs Wanda Stachurska · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Contact provider organisations early and agree responsibility for reporting and serious-incident investigations.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “In this instance at the time of the incident coming to light, we believed that the lead provider in the care at the time of the death was going to report and lead the investigation process and as due process we would have taken part in the investigation. Unfortunately in this instance all the communication regarding the responsibility for the serious incident investigation was managed through the HM Coroner’s Office instead of directly with our acute care provider colleagues as per our general practice. We have taken steps to ensure that when such issues arise we as providers make contact with each other early and agree reporting and investigation responsibilities.”

    Source location

    2015-0199-Response-by-Surrey-and-Borders-Partnership-NHS-Trust
    Page 2 · response
    Published 20 May 2015

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent position was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Responsibility for reporting and leading the serious incident investigation was assigned to the lead provider, while the Trust expected to participate.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “In this instance at the time of the incident coming to light, we believed that the lead provider in the care at the time of the death was going to report and lead the investigation process and as due process we would have taken part in the investigation. Unfortunately in this instance all the communication regarding the responsibility for the serious incident investigation was managed through the HM Coroner’s Office instead of directly with our acute care provider colleagues as per our general practice. We have taken steps to ensure that when such issues arise we as providers make contact with each other early and agree reporting and investigation responsibilities.”

    Source location

    2015-0199-Response-by-Surrey-and-Borders-Partnership-NHS-Trust
    Page 2 · response
    Published 20 May 2015

    Open published response
  6. Bedfordshire and Luton

    AI-generated summary

    Simon Robert ALLISTON · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Simon Robert ALLISTON lived alone and was found deceased in his flat after neighbours had not seen him for approximately a week; paramedics confirmed his death. The concerns included his discharge from mental health services without a formal handover, despite the Community Team considering that he still needed support, with no recorded reason for discharge and no formal Serious Incident Investigation after his death.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to conduct a formal Serious Incident Investigation

    Wider context from the report

    “(4) That following the death of Simon Alliston there was no formal Serious Incident Investigation ”

    Source location

    Simon Robert ALLISTON · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
  7. South and West Cambridgeshire

    AI-generated summary

    Anne Elizabeth Sandever · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Anne Elizabeth Sandever, a diabetic woman with acute on chronic renal failure, was admitted to hospital on 3 February 2014, deteriorated after transfer to Walnut ward, and died on 6 February 2014. The concerns included gaps in nursing and medical observation, poor communication and handover about her diabetes, lack of intravenous fluids despite renal failure, and insufficient investigation of the incident.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to investigate serious incidents and prevent recurrence

    Wider context from the report

    “(4) There has been no SUI inquiry and the hospital has not investigated this sufficiently to ensure that this does not recur and has not taken the necessary steps to assure me of this. ”

    Source location

    Anne Elizabeth Sandever · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 1 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Revise the Trust’s Serious Incident process within the wider quality-improvement programme.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The Trust’s Serious Incident process is also being revised as part of a wider quality improvement programme.”

    Source location

    2014-0393-Response_Redacted
    Page 3 · response
    Published 4 September 2014

    Open published response
  8. Suffolk

    AI-generated summary

    Else Merete-Harvey Samuel · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Else Merete-Harvey Samuel was admitted to hospital after a fall, with continuing groin pain and a possible hip or pelvic fracture. Although initial radiographs did not show a fracture, some repeat views, including the pelvis, were not taken; a pelvic fracture was found at post mortem, alongside significant natural disease. The principal concerns were incomplete clinical information on imaging requests, insufficient senior discussion when investigations were challenged, and weaknesses in the subsequent incident investigation.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Insufficiently robust post-untoward-incident investigations

    Wider context from the report

    “(3) In any post untoward incident investigation, the system for determining the correct level of post event analysis, and the investigation itself, must be sufficiently robust to establish fully what occurred and to take any statements required as near to the time of the event as possible so as to identify any lessons that need to be learned. ”

    Source location

    Else Merete-Harvey Samuel · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 1 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure of the system for determining the correct level of post-event analysis to be sufficiently robust

    Wider context from the report

    “(3) In any post untoward incident investigation, the system for determining the correct level of post event analysis, and the investigation itself, must be sufficiently robust to establish fully what occurred and to take any statements required as near to the time of the event as possible so as to identify any lessons that need to be learned. ”

    Source location

    Else Merete-Harvey Samuel · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 1 · concerns

    Open source report
  9. Inner South London

    AI-generated summary

    Miss Abiola Dosunmu · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Abiola Dosunmu developed abnormal blood tests, proteinuria and symptoms that were treated as cellulitis, before rapidly deteriorating and being found dead at home on 24 August 2012. The report identified concerns about failures to communicate the proteinuria and abnormal results, inadequate follow-up and monitoring, and a missed opportunity to diagnose and treat SLE earlier.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure of the Serious Untoward Incident Investigation to consider concerns about clinical communication and consultant notification

    Wider context from the report

    “(6) Concerns (2) (3) and (5) above were not considered by the Serious Untoward Incident Investigation by the Trust. ”

    Source location

    Miss Abiola Dosunmu · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
  10. Gateshead and South Tyneside

    AI-generated summary

    Vincent Gibson · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Vincent Gibson was fatally injured while crossing Whiteleas Way, South Shields, when he was struck by a police vehicle travelling at speed in response to a Grade 1 emergency call. The principal concerns related to inadequate coordination, management, monitoring and control of the incident, including the failure to communicate that the caller remained in contact with the call taker, unclear roles, insufficiently informed risk assessment, resource allocation, route planning and uncertainty about response speed.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to communicate continuing caller contact to incident managers

    Wider context from the report

    “Much more significant than all the other facts which appeared on this log directly was the omission of the fact at any stage before the incident of the collision that ████████ was in continued conversation with the caller. 7. ████████ was in the same room as ████████ and it had known of the continuing conversation one assumes, she could have planned accordingly. ████████ clearly appreciated that contact with the caller was an essential way of trying to find out more positive information about him and effectively plan for his help and support. 8. As the Resource Controller and the recipient of the initial log and graded incident she is the obvious point of direct contact for such essential detail. She is also the obvious conduit for not only the fact that the caller is still talking to the Call Taker but to understand the tone and content of that conversation and analyse the level of distress if any, the caller is continuing to demonstrate. ”

    Source location

    Vincent Gibson · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of co-ordinated management, monitoring and control of serious incidents

    Wider context from the report

    “The matters of concern identified by this history centre on an all too apparent lack of co-ordination of the essential elements of management, monitoring and control needed to effectively respond as one would reasonably expect to a properly identified and graded serious incident. ”

    Source location

    Vincent Gibson · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
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Data last updated 7 September 2026