First reported 12 May 2014•Latest report 29 Nov 2024
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes deficiencies in the dedicated confidentiality, independence or safety-information-sharing arrangements of service mental health care where those arrangements may suppress risk disclosure or prevent necessary communication of mental-health risk to relevant families, carers, clinicians or authorities.
Not included
Excludes generic information-sharing or communication failures that are not specifically tied to confidentiality or independence in service mental health care.
Excludes ordinary clinical confidentiality concerns where no safety-relevant disclosure, risk reporting or protective information-sharing issue is identified.
Excludes failures of police, social-care or other non-mental-health information systems unless the assertion directly concerns confidentiality arrangements in service mental health care.
Excludes generic mental-health treatment, assessment or care-planning deficiencies that do not concern the confidentiality and information-sharing boundary.
Reports
10
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
11
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2014–2024
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
10
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
NHS England3
Ministry of Defence2
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry1
East London NHS Foundation Trust1
General Pharmaceutical Council1
Hafod Community Mental Health Team1
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust1
Royal Pharmaceutical Society1
The Company Chemists' Association1
Windsor and Maidenhead Community Mental Health Team1
Wokingham Community Mental Health Team1
Ministerial department6
Executive non-departmental public body3
NHS trust2
Health and care professional regulator1
Healthcare site1
Health professional body1
University faculty or school1
Type not available1
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.
Berkshire
Concerns raised1
Failure to share protective factors and safety actions with the Chain of Command
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 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.2
Action
Review the Army’s Vulnerability Risk Management policy and amend associated templates to improve risk-plan recording and sharing.
Stated by Ministry of DefenceStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 6 December 2024.
Action
Consider directing units on information to capture, record, share and retain during and after case conferences.
Stated by Ministry of DefenceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 6 December 2024.
Mid Kent and Medway
Concerns raised1
Failure to clearly record service users' consent to disclosure to family members
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.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
NHS England is responsible for addressing the report’s concerns about local mental health service issues.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
North London
Concerns raised1
Lack of consideration for exceptions to patient confidentiality in cases of mental illhealth
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 raised1
Lack of independence in service mental health care
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
Provide enhanced support through an embedded independent psychiatric nurse.
Stated by Ministry of DefenceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 7 December 2021.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
DCMH is independent of Service chains of command, so its structure does not create the identified lack-of-independence risk.
Stated by Ministry of DefenceDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure appropriate pharmacy involvement in medication safety plans for mental health patients aged 16–17
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.4
Action
Establish a working group to develop a national approach to sharing medication-safety information with community pharmacies.
Stated by NHS EnglandStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 2 June 2021.
Action
Continue campaigning for community-pharmacy access to and sharing of patient health records.
Stated by Royal Pharmaceutical SocietyStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 2 June 2021.
Action
Publish a policy and position statement on patient health records.
Stated by Royal Pharmaceutical SocietyStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 2 June 2021.
Action
Work with the General Pharmaceutical Council, Royal Pharmaceutical Society and NHS England to further consider improving practice.
Stated by Company Chemists’ Association LimitedStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 2 June 2021.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.5
Position
NHS England is better placed to provide information on national-level medication safety plans.
Stated by General Pharmaceutical CouncilRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
Mandating local adoption of national protocols across the NHS and other care providers is outside the respondent’s role.
Stated by Royal Pharmaceutical SocietyOutside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
Position
NHS and CAMHS organisations are responsible for making changes to prevent deaths involving pharmacy communication and medication safety plans.
Stated by Royal Pharmaceutical SocietyRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
Direct action is outside the remit because the organisation does not operate pharmacies or set standards and guidance for pharmacy operators.
Stated by Company Chemists’ Association LimitedOutside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
Position
Changing information-sharing and care-planning processes cannot be undertaken because the relevant organisations lack legislative authority.
Stated by Company Chemists’ Association LimitedUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Manchester West
Concerns raised1
Failure to communicate relevant information between mental health care professionals and patients’ close relatives
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
Work with professional bodies to agree and publish a consensus statement on information sharing and suicide prevention.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 18 October 2019.
Wiltshire and Swindon
Concerns raised2
Failure to provide healthcare professionals with complete relevant mental-health information for frontline assessments
Failure to share relevant mental-health information between healthcare practitioners and patients’ families
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.
Surrey
Concerns raised1
Failure to share relevant recent mental health information between mental health teams and general practitioners
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.2
Action
Develop GP access to mental health records.
Stated by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 8 July 2018.
Action
Embed GP communication requirements in acute and community mental health team procedures, instruct managers, and monitor compliance after referral triage.
Stated by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 July 2018.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Failure to distinguish receiving and acting on third-party concerns from disclosing patient details
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.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Inner West London
Concerns raised1
Failure to appropriately challenge decisions by patients with insufficient insight not to share information with families
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 deficiencies in the dedicated confidentiality, independence or safety-information-sharing arrangements of service mental health care where those arrangements may suppress risk disclosure or prevent necessary communication of mental-health risk to relevant families, carers, clinicians or authorities.
