Recurring concern
Unreliable communication in district nursing care coordination
First reported 7 Aug 2013•Latest report 21 May 2025
What this concern includes
Includes failures of communication or information sharing specifically within district nursing care coordination, including interfaces with care homes, integrated-care teams, GPs and out-of-hours clinical services, where the failure can delay assessment, referral, treatment or support.
Not included
- Excludes generic communication failures without a district nursing care-coordination context.
- Excludes failures confined to the quality of district nursing treatment, staffing, equipment or referral documentation when communication between care providers is not the shared unsafe condition.
- Excludes communication involving unrelated clinical services or beneficiaries unless district nursing care coordination is directly involved.
- Reports
- 12
- Individual concerns
- 16
- Date range
- 2013–2025
- Stated actions
- 14
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
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.
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.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to transfer comprehensive discharge and ongoing treatment information to community nursing services
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
Action
Develop and lead the Frontline Digitisation Programme to support adoption and safe deployment of electronic patient record systems.
Stated by NHS England -
Action
Develop and implement the national Booking and Referral Standard to digitise and standardise referrals and bookings across care settings.
Stated by NHS England
-
Concerns raised2
Failure of communication between D2A therapists and District Nurses
Delays in District Nursing assessment after referral
This report raised 7 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
-
Action
Conduct further multi-agency discharge events to improve communication and joint working.
Stated by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and London Borough of Lewisham -
Action
Establish and disseminate an escalation and information-sharing pathway across community services, with ongoing monitoring and audit.
Stated by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and London Borough of Lewisham -
Action
Maintain regular Discharge to Assess–District Nursing meetings and a communication champion to oversee information exchange and care-plan adherence.
Stated by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and London Borough of Lewisham
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to share and escalate delayed antibiotic treatment information
This report raised 10 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Lack of a documented and recorded referral process between District Nurses and Tissue Viability Nurses
This report raised 10 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised2
Insufficient communication and information sharing between the care home and District Nursing Team
Failure to involve the District Nursing Team in discussions when residents’ status changed
This report raised 8 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
Action
Appoint a Named Nurse for the residential home.
Stated by Stockport NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Hold monthly residential-home care meetings and share key information at District Nursing Time Team meetings.
Stated by Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
-
Concerns raised2
Lack of a clearly understood system for communicating concerns and relevant information between the Community District Nurses Team and a community patient’s care provider agency
Absence of a clearly understood system for sharing relevant community patient information and escalating care-quality concerns between the Community District Nursing Team and partner agencies
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Lack of formal protocols for notifying district nurses of falls or changes in fall risk
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure of effective oral and written communication between integrated care and district nursing services
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Lack of an effective communication system between GP surgeries and district nurses
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised2
Failure of District Nurses and the GP to communicate and coordinate wound care visits
Lack of shared understanding between the GP and District Nurses about requesting urgent blood tests
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Data last updated 7 September 2026