Recurring concern
Delays in consultant review of patients
Pin
Get email alerts
Request correctionFirst reported 24 Sep 2013•Latest report 27 Feb 2026
What this concern includes
Includes reports identifying delayed, missed or insufficiently timely consultant review of patients, including failures to seek or arrange an early consultant review where consultant input is required.
Not included
- Excludes delays in non-consultant consultations, referrals or specialist services unless the report specifically concerns consultant review.
- Excludes failures involving only documentation, communication, continuity, staffing or on-call cover when delayed consultant review is not itself identified.
- Excludes concerns about the quality or appropriateness of consultant decisions where timely review was not a material issue.
- Reports
- 35
- Individual concerns
- 37
- Date range
- 2013–2026
- Stated actions
- 32
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 seek an early Consultant Review
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.1
-
Action
Implement Epic as a unified electronic patient record providing real-time access to clinical information and an integrated communication and escalation platform.
Stated by East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Position
Existing escalation and communication pathways are considered appropriate, including consultant review, alternative escalation, and waiting where patients remain stable.
Stated by East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to provide timely stroke consultant input for thrombolysis complications
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.3
-
Action
Review the standard operating procedure governing out-of-hours specialist stroke advice.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board -
Action
Agree amended wording defining specialist stroke advice in the standard operating procedure.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board -
Action
Obtain formal network governance approval for the amended standard operating procedure wording.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
-
Concerns raised1
Delays in consultant review of patients
This report raised 9 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 to obtain consultant obstetric input, medical review and imaging before therapeutic anticoagulation
This report raised 15 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.1
-
Action
Provide guidance on reducing venous thromboembolism risk during pregnancy and the puerperium, including anticoagulation decisions when bleeding risk exists.
Stated by Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to carry out consultant review of antipsychotic medication alongside epilepsy medication
This report raised 6 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
Delays in consultant review
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
Lack of consultant dermatology input within 24 hours for acute severe skin conditions
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 raised1
Failure to escalate eligible emergency department patients for consultant review
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 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
Implement a policy empowering any multiprofessional team member to escalate delayed assessment or transfer to the consultant on call.
Stated by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Deliver an education programme on escalation for delayed assessment or transfer from August 2023.
Stated by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Deliver direct teaching and display laminated posters in acute surgical areas at all acute sites by 31 October 2023.
Stated by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Position
Responsibility for addressing emergency department patient volume rests with the Department of Health and Social Care.
Stated by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure consultant awareness and timely review of allocated patients remaining in Accident and Emergency
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
Failure to provide Consultant Psychiatrist review after 30 May 2018
This report raised 12 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