Recurring concern
Insufficient medical staffing capacity for timely patient care
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Request correctionFirst reported 7 Jan 2013•Latest report 4 Feb 2026
What this concern includes
Includes failures of doctor or medical staffing capacity, coverage, availability or resilience that delay or prevent timely patient review, assessment, emergency response, clinical queries, home visits or other required patient care.
Not included
- Excludes delays or failures caused by non-staffing factors such as escalation, appointment management, documentation, information access or clinical decision-making when adequate staffing is available.
- Excludes poor-quality assessment or review where the evidence does not identify insufficient medical staffing capacity as the unsafe condition.
- Excludes staffing deficiencies unrelated to timely patient care, such as excessive working hours without a supported patient-care impact.
- Reports
- 57
- Individual concerns
- 61
- Date range
- 2013–2026
- Stated actions
- 118
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.
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Concerns raised1
Insufficient night staffing to provide healthcare and other prisoner needs
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.
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
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Action
Liaise with Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust and G4S regarding night staffing levels and additional overnight support.
Stated by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Continue pursuing Commissioner funding for an additional Ward 2 staff member.
Stated by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
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Position
Funding approval for an extra Ward 2 staff member has not progressed because the Commissioner declined meetings; the matter will continue to be pursued.
Stated by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
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Position
Healthcare Commissioners are responsible for funding additional prison healthcare staff and are invited to address the staffing concern.
Stated by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust -
Position
The first concern falls within the Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust’s responsibility, and that Trust will respond separately.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Concerns raised1
Insufficient midwifery and medical availability during extreme service demand
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.
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
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Action
Advertise two additional consultant posts for the maternity service.
Stated by University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust -
Action
Increase consultant presence through phased extended-hours cover at both delivery suites, including increased Leicester General Hospital and Leicester Royal Infirmary coverage.
Stated by University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust -
Action
Move to a one-site maternity take in 2019 to improve management of periods of extremely high demand.
Stated by University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
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Concerns raised1
Insufficient A&E cover by clinicians able to secure airways via emergency surgical tracheotomy
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
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Action
Review Emergency Departments and senior-staff availability for emergency airway skills across London.
Stated by NHS England -
Action
Implement increased senior doctor presence in A&E departments, including 24/7 consultant cover in Major Trauma units and extended consultant or senior trainee cover elsewhere.
Stated by NHS England
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Position
Immediate resident ENT surgeon cover in every A&E is impractical because there are insufficient experienced ENT surgeons.
Stated by NHS England
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Position
Acute Trusts providing A&E are responsible for managing airway-cover risks through general training and timely access to specialist expertise.
Stated by NHS England
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Concerns raised1
Insufficient staffing capacity for the large and unpredictable referral volume
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.2
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Action
Establish full assessment-team staffing, recruit all vacancies and provide rota coverage across the 24-hour period.
Stated by North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Undertake an Acute Care Pathway review covering staffing, skill mix and pathway effectiveness across teams.
Stated by North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised2
Inadequate out-of-hours medical cover for ENT service provision
Inadequate medical cover for geographic or split-site commitments
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.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Position
Out-of-hours staffing and ENT cover are considered appropriate for the site and trust’s activity.
Stated by Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
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Position
More than one trust-wide middle-grade ENT clinician on call is considered neither clinically nor financially practical.
Stated by Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
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Concerns raised1
Insufficient surgeon capacity for laparoscopic surgery and urgent patient assessment
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.
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Concerns raised1
Insufficient Emergency Department staffing to manage patient volume
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