First reported 12 Sep 2013•Latest report 17 Aug 2022
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures in preparing, quality-checking, dispatching or timely delivering clinical letters and comparable correspondence from healthcare services to GPs when the correspondence contains information needed for assessment, treatment, referral, medication management or continuity of care.
Not included
Excludes failures to review or act on correspondence after it has been reliably received by the GP practice; those belong to incoming-correspondence handling concerns.
Excludes discharge summaries and patient-facing discharge information where those named processes provide the more specific supported boundary.
Excludes generic communication, record-keeping or staffing deficiencies unless they directly impair outgoing clinical correspondence to GPs.
Excludes correspondence to non-GP recipients unless the assertion explicitly supports the same GP-facing clinical-correspondence process.
Reports
13
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
14
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2013–2022
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
18
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 Care4
Ashfield House Surgery1
Association Of British Neurologists1
Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB1
Birmingham Women'S and Children'S NHS Foundation Trust1
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust1
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council1
College of Policing1
Cornerstone Family Practice1
Dorset County Council1
Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust1
Dorset Police1
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership1
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust1
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust1
NHS trust7
Ministerial department4
Healthcare site2
English county council1
English unitary authority1
Executive non-departmental public body1
Health-system partnership1
Independent healthcare provider1
Integrated care board1
Local health board1
National policing body1
Police force1
Professional body1
Registered charity1
Social-care provider1
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.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Delays in consultants communicating diagnostic and treatment information after appointments or assessments
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 concerns
Each 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.1
Action
Build digital infrastructure using artificial intelligence, automation and video-call technologies to support NHS services.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 3 October 2022.
Nottinghamshire
Concerns raised1
Delays in sending outpatient letters containing important clinical information
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 concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Dorset
Concerns raised2
Failure of Mental Health teams to provide assessment information directly to GPs
Delay in AMHP feedback of Mental Health Act assessment information to GPs
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 concerns
Each 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.8
Action
Implement an updated standard operating procedure governing information flow after Mental Health Act assessments.
Stated by Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Action
Develop and implement a RiO template for Section 12 doctors to send key Mental Health Act assessment information directly to GPs, with corresponding guidance and SOP amendments.
Stated by Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Action
Engage with Dorset Healthcare Trust to agree amendments to the Pan-Dorset Standard Operating Procedure for information distribution.
Stated by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole CouncilStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Action
Continue applying the 72-hour requirement for distributing completed Mental Health Act assessment reports.
Stated by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Action
Discuss with Approved Mental Health Professionals how to succinctly share information with GPs, highlighting information of immediate relevance.
Stated by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole CouncilStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Action
Reduce the timeframe for forwarding the initial completed AMHP report to the assessed person’s GP from seven days to 72 hours.
Stated by Dorset CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Action
Implement internal reporting to monitor 72-hour initial reports, track full reports, and share monthly performance information with senior managers.
Stated by Dorset CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Action
Require AMHPs to complete mandatory internal training on confidential information sharing following Mental Health Act assessments.
Stated by Dorset CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.4
Position
The Trust’s discharge-information procedure and statutory Mental Health Act guidance are relied upon to address communication after mental health assessments.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Position
Existing AMHP requirements and quality assurance arrangements already require recording and sharing assessment outcomes within specified timescales.
Stated by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole CouncilExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Position
Full AMHP reports cannot be completed within 72 hours because shift patterns and rota arrangements prevent timely completion.
Stated by Dorset CouncilUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Position
Reducing the information-feedback timeframe is a decision for Dorset Council and BCP Council, with the Trust able to update its SOP only after agreement.
Stated by Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation TrustRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Manchester North
Concerns raised1
Failure to communicate pathology reports to general practitioners at hospital discharge
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 concerns
Each 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.1
Action
Share the response at the Divisional Surgery Governance Meeting and discuss the importance of checking medical records during handover completion.
Stated by Oldham Care OrganisationStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 9 February 2021.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
Directly communicating cancer diagnoses to GPs at discharge is not standard; supported outpatient disclosure is considered best practice.
Stated by Oldham Care OrganisationExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Position
Communicating a cancer diagnosis to the GP at discharge is not standard practice because it could disclose the diagnosis without appropriate patient support.
Stated by Oldham Care OrganisationDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
London (East)
Concerns raised1
Failure to communicate changed asthma medication to primary care
This report raised 23 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
London (East)
Concerns raised1
Delays in delivery of mental health clinic letters to GPs
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each 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.1
Action
Send NELFT correspondence electronically using the patient’s NHS number and initials as the email subject, and communicate this practice to Redbridge GPs and mental health services.
Stated by North East London NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 16 June 2018.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Delays in sending specialist clinical letters
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 concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
North West Wales
Concerns raised1
Addition of diagnoses to clinical correspondence without examining the patient
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 concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Birmingham and Solihull
Concerns raised1
Delays in sending assessment circumstances and outcomes to GPs
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 concerns
Each 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.1
Action
Implement an MHLS standard requiring assessment letters to be drafted within the same or following shift and dispatched within three working days.
Stated by Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 21 April 2016.
Nottinghamshire
Concerns raised1
Lack of clear guidance for communicating patients’ physical condition to GPs
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Includes failures in preparing, quality-checking, dispatching or timely delivering clinical letters and comparable correspondence from healthcare services to GPs when the correspondence contains information needed for assessment, treatment, referral, medication management or continuity of care.
