Recurring concern
Failure to provide timely emergency hospital conveyance
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Request correctionFirst reported 9 Jan 2014•Latest report 5 Jun 2026
What this concern includes
Includes failures in arranging, authorising or providing timely emergency conveyance to hospital when a patient's condition requires urgent hospital assessment or treatment, including delays after the need for conveyance is identified and inappropriate non-emergency conveyance conditions.
Not included
- Excludes delays in ambulance attendance, dispatch or travel before the conveyance decision or vehicle arrival; those belong to ambulance-response concerns.
- Excludes hospital admission, ambulance-to-hospital handover and treatment delays after the patient has arrived at hospital.
- Excludes routine outpatient or non-urgent patient transport.
- Excludes generic clinical-assessment or diagnosis failures unless they directly result in delayed or inappropriate emergency hospital conveyance.
- Excludes failures of vehicle equipment, patient positioning or restraint unless they directly make the emergency hospital conveyance itself unsafe.
- Reports
- 11
- Individual concerns
- 12
- Date range
- 2014–2026
- Stated actions
- 18
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
Failure to convey patients with intermittent chest pain, breathlessness or abnormal ECG with ST elevation to the nearest emergency hospital
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
Deliver further ECG-focused training and updated myocardial infarction guidance through the 2026–2027 Core Skills Refresher cycle.
Stated by London Ambulance Service NHS Trust -
Action
Reinforce guidance and training on intermittent symptoms and presentations suggestive of acute coronary syndrome.
Stated by London Ambulance Service NHS Trust -
Action
Commence a trial transmitting ECGs to Heart Attack Centre clinicians for early interpretation and specialist referral.
Stated by London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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
Existing paramedic training, national guidance and holistic clinical assessment are considered sufficient for recognising and managing suspected acute coronary syndrome.
Stated by London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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Position
Local ambulance services are responsible for the operational concerns and are best placed to respond to them.
Stated by NHS England
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Concerns raised1
Failure to use emergency transport for a medical emergency
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.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
The care did not reflect a lack of urgency, and arrest did not influence the timeliness or appropriateness of assessment, management or care.
Stated by London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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Concerns raised1
Inadequate arrangements for the swift departure of ambulances from the prison in blue-light emergencies
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.4
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Action
Review the prison’s Local Security Strategy and confirm emergency ambulance departure requirements.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service -
Action
Identify at least two officers at the start of each shift to support emergency escort duties.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service -
Action
Work with the ambulance service on an emergency contingency-plan exercise and use its learning to strengthen the contingency plan.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Action
Introduce improved monitoring to identify delays in ambulance departures and support corrective action.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
The prison’s existing Local Security Strategy provides for ambulance dispatch before risk assessment when necessary in a blue-light emergency.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Concerns raised1
Failure to communicate the urgent need for ambulance-exit authorisation and have the authorisation prepared
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.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Records indicate the hospital-transfer authorisation was generated immediately after the emergency code was called, rather than being delayed.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Concerns raised2
Conveyance policy restricting timely transport of medical emergencies
Conveyance policy restricting timely transport of medical emergencies
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.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Delays in transferring patients requiring emergency specialist stroke care
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
Review the hospital policy for stroke management.
Stated by Barts Health NHS Trust -
Action
Review the Hyperacute Stroke Unit checklist of advice.
Stated by Barts Health NHS Trust
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Concerns raised1
Delays in arranging emergency hospital assessment and transport after suspected significant injury
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
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Action
Update risk management plans for residents prescribed anticoagulants to require calling 999 immediately after a fall, accident or injury.
Stated by Borough Care Ltd
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Concerns raised1
Failure to escalate seriously ill children to hospital during OOH assessment
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
Implement NICE feverish-illness guidance in the out-of-hours service using PEWS and assessment templates.
Stated by North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Conduct quarterly clinical audits of practitioners’ records and provide supervision and competency action plans where practice falls short.
Stated by North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Provide training on managing severely ill children for out-of-hours GPs alongside mandatory and statutory training.
Stated by North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
The clinical data produced a PEWS score of 0–2, which did not indicate that further action or hospital referral was required.
Stated by North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure to prioritise preservation of life over security concerns in emergency medical decisions
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.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to transfer patients to hospital by ambulance when required
This report raised 11 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