Recurring concern
Unreliable access to clinically required cardiology tests
- Reports that mention this concern
- 5
- Times this concern has been raised
- 5
- Stated actions linked to this concern
- 9
What this concern includes
Includes failures in arranging, accessing, performing or providing clinically required cardiology tests, including delays in carrying out tests and inadequate out-of-hours or weekend availability where these can delay subsequent cardiac care or referral.
What is not included
- Excludes failures in cardiology assessment, specialist referral or treatment after the required cardiology tests have been completed and made available.
- Excludes generic delays in blood tests, ECGs or other investigations where no cardiology-testing context is identified.
- Excludes failures limited to interpreting, communicating or acting on completed cardiology-test results when test access and completion were reliable.
- Excludes general cardiology service capacity or consultant availability deficiencies where the specific unsafe condition is not access to clinically required cardiology tests.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, 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.
Reports and published responses 5 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
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Concerns raised1
Failure to obtain echocardiography for critically unwell patients in shock
This report raised 21 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
- Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
- NHS Central East Integrated Care Board
- North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
- Royal College of Emergency Medicine
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.6
-
Royal College of Emergency Medicine
Include focused cardiac ultrasound for shock assessment in the emergency medicine training curriculum.
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North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Provide echocardiography training to trainees.
-
Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
Review HiLLO descriptors and consider clarifying echocardiography training and skills requirements.
-
Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
Consult on GPICS version 3 guidance, including standards for echocardiography access, image storage, training and quality assurance.
-
Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
Work with hospital cardiology service providers to improve reliable access to emergent out-of-hours echocardiography.
-
NHS Central East Integrated Care Board
Work with providers to gain assurance that critically ill patients have 24/7 access to transthoracic or focused echocardiography.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
-
Royal College of Emergency Medicine
Pre-arrest focused cardiac ultrasound was not a reasonable expectation because the applicable emergency medicine curriculum did not include shock assessment.
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North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
The case was not caused by inability to perform echocardiography; appropriately trained clinicians could have performed the procedure if cardiogenic shock was suspected.
-
Concerns raised1
Shortage of suitably qualified professionals to carry out essential cardiac tests
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- NHS England
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
NHS England
Deliver the Long-Term Workforce Plan, including expanded education, training, recruitment, retention, and strategic workforce planning.
-
NHS England
Support local services to recover elective care, reduce waiting times, improve diagnostic turnaround, and create additional capacity for complex and urgent care.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
NHS England
NHS Trusts, rather than NHS England, are responsible for ensuring safe staffing levels in day-to-day hospital operations.
-
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of cardiac stress testing for asymptomatic individuals
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Department for Transport
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Department for Transport
The DVLA can act only on information received from licence holders or healthcare professionals about known medical conditions.
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Concerns raised1
Unavailability of out-of-hours cardiac testing in District General Hospitals
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Department of Health and Social Care
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Department of Health and Social Care
Emergency cardiac scans outside normal hours are addressed by transferring patients to a tertiary centre.
-
Concerns raised1
Delays in cardiology tests being carried out
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
-
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Implement the changed NT-proBNP testing and referral pathway, including urgency thresholds for echocardiography and heart failure services.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
There were no delays; investigations and referrals followed correct, timely processes and pathways, so the reported cardiology-timescale risk did not arise in this case.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Data last updated 7 September 2026