First reported 16 Dec 2013•Latest report 11 Mar 2024
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures in the dedicated GP telephone-referral process to receive, identify, prioritise, interrupt or otherwise alert the GP to clinically important patient information or deterioration, including tracking and assurance that patient enquiries are escalated and acted upon.
Not included
Excludes general GP appointment access, referral-route or consultation-capacity failures where telephone-referral escalation is not the deficient control.
Excludes failures to provide clinical assessment or treatment after the GP has been reliably alerted and has accepted responsibility.
Excludes generic communication, staffing, documentation or workload deficiencies unless they directly impair escalation of a patient telephone referral or enquiry to the GP.
Excludes non-GP referrals and communications with specialist or emergency services unless the assertion explicitly concerns the same GP telephone-referral escalation process.
Reports
2
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
2
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2013–2024
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
8
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.
Church Elm Lane Medical Practice1
Daughter of the deceased1
Hama Medical Centre1
Ministry of Justice1
NHS England1
Office of the Chief Coroner1
Sunderland Coroner's Service1
Coronial office1
Executive non-departmental public body1
Healthcare site1
Ministerial department1
Multi-service care provider1
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.
East London
Concerns raised1
Failure to demonstrate improvement in escalation of patient enquiries to GPs
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.8
Action
Provide staff training on using the auditable message book, direct clinician escalation and avoiding screen messaging for patient queries.
Stated by Church Elm Lane Medical PracticeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 14 March 2024.
Action
Stop using screen messaging for patient or clinical matters and use the tracked message book or direct clinician communication instead.
Stated by Church Elm Lane Medical PracticeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 14 March 2024.
Action
Provide Lead GP reception support for staff queries, message-book use and care navigation during busy periods.
Stated by Church Elm Lane Medical PracticeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 14 March 2024.
Action
Develop a reliable auditable communication system by using EMIS messaging, retaining tracked message-book processes and building an urgent-communication template.
Stated by Church Elm Lane Medical PracticeStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 14 March 2024.
Action
Establish a comprehensive staff training programme, including provider engagement, identified learning needs and arrangements to release staff for training.
Stated by Church Elm Lane Medical PracticeStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 14 March 2024.
Action
Deliver scenario-based triage training and schedule recurring biannual sessions, with additional training when needed.
Stated by Church Elm Lane Medical PracticeStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 14 March 2024.
Action
Review and update communication, escalation and emergency policies through team engagement and a review process.
Stated by Church Elm Lane Medical PracticeStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 14 March 2024.
Action
Develop and use a Message Book protocol and telephone call supervision audit.
Stated by Church Elm Lane Medical PracticeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 14 March 2024.
Nottinghamshire
Concerns raised1
Inability of reception staff to interrupt GPs to alert and inform them of changes in a patient’s condition following telephone referrals
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.