Recurring concern
Unreliable access to relevant clinical records for safe care
- Reports that mention this concern
- 122
- Times this concern has been raised
- 129
- Stated actions linked to this concern
- 192
What this concern includes
Includes failures to retrieve, locate, present or provide access to relevant existing records for assessment, treatment and care decisions.
What is not included
- Excludes absent or inaccurate information that was never reliably recorded.
- Excludes failures to transfer otherwise available information to another service or recipient.
- Excludes failure to review records that were already available unless access or retrieval was also deficient.
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 122 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
-
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of paper clinical notes to clinicians at appointments
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of relevant prisoner medical information to drug workers
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
- HM Prison and Probation Service
- Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust
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
-
HM Prison and Probation Service
Give every Forward Trust member access to SystmOne to enter and access information.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
-
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust
Medical information will not be shared without the patient's or representative's consent.
-
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust
The Forward Trust's access to medical records is being addressed with NHS England, the service commissioner.
-
Concerns raised1
Lack of remote access to medical records for on-call psychiatry clinicians
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
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
-
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
Provide relevant psychiatry trainees and specialist trainees with remote access to all required clinical record systems.
-
Concerns raised1
Inadequate availability of nursing records
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to make vital mental health history readily findable and extractable from electronic records
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
-
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Review and redesign the RiO electronic patient record to make vital clinical information easier to find.
-
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Require staff to document risk information in the revised Risk Summary Section.
-
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Implement collaborative My Safety & Crisis Plans with regular completion and update prompts, including after significant risk changes.
-
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Develop and use a Community Care Plan page to make care plans and risk summaries readily identifiable.
-
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of the deceased's notes to ambulance staff
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Lack of access to relevant records across healthcare providers
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
- Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- 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
Lead the Global Digital Exemplar programme to improve electronic record sharing and disseminate digital information-sharing learning across NHS trusts.
-
NHS England
Support Local Health and Care Record Exemplars to establish safe, integrated access to permitted patient information across health and care organisations.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Existing secure RiO access arrangements are considered sufficient for sharing health records with other agencies.
-
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of previous medical records for clinical decision-making
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM
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
-
University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM
Establish a fully electronic case-notes system to improve access to medical records.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM
Established tracking, retrieval and out-of-hours arrangements are considered sufficient for accessing medical records during urgent admissions.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to make medical-record edits visible to treating clinicians
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to make documentation accessible to all relevant staff
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
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
-
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
Develop and display a laminated flowchart guiding s136 handover recording, documentation access and referral processes.
-
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
Provide staff guidance on accessing notes in and out of hours, including support from colleagues and s136-suite staff when required.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Data last updated 7 September 2026