Recurring concern
Unreliable multi-agency communication procedures
First reported 29 May 2013•Latest report 16 Jun 2026
What this concern includes
Includes failures of explicitly multi-agency communication procedures that impair the timely, accurate and complete exchange of safety-relevant information between involved agencies, including the anchor's prison-services communication failure.
Not included
- Excludes generic communication, training, staffing or coordination deficiencies where no explicitly multi-agency communication procedure is identified.
- Excludes failures confined to a single organisation's internal communication process.
- Excludes failures of a separately named pathway, system or hazard when that concern provides the more specific supported boundary.
- Excludes neutral descriptions of multi-agency working without an identified unsafe communication condition.
- Reports
- 134
- Individual concerns
- 145
- Date range
- 2013–2026
- Stated actions
- 303
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
Lack of improved communication with Children’s Services during child protection investigations or care proceedings planning
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.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Poor inter-agency information sharing
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
Failure of clinical communication between Trusts about unresolved investigations
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
Develop standardised communication and referral processes with Alder Hey and the wider paediatric network, particularly for shared-care arrangements.
Stated by Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust -
Action
Amend paediatric staff induction to cover communication with families, communication with other organisations, and responses when children are not brought to appointments.
Stated by Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure to communicate patients’ clinical condition and observations between clinicians when telephone advice is sought
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.4
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Action
Develop a structured electronic Paediatric Advice Proforma with mandatory fields and prompts for documenting inter-hospital clinical advice.
Stated by University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust -
Action
Scope improvements to recording patient information for patients needing specialist advice while off site.
Stated by Birmingham Women'S and Children'S NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Work with the Norse supplier to transition to the system’s latest version and additional features.
Stated by Birmingham Women'S and Children'S NHS Foundation Trust
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Action
Roll out Norse across a number of clinical services to strengthen required documentation of inter-centre clinical advice.
Stated by Birmingham Women'S and Children'S NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Lack of specific rules allocating agency responsibilities for conveying information when vulnerable patients are sent home from urgent care without admission
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
Because the patient was technically not admitted, the Trust did not need to invoke its hospital discharge process.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
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Concerns raised1
Failure of care and nursing staff to communicate relevant information and changes in condition effectively to ambulance and other medical service providers after an accident or medical emergency
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.1
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Action
Provide first aid training to all staff responsible for shifts, covering emergency response, falls, choking, bleeding, CPR and related care.
Stated by Hart Care Limited
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Concerns raised1
Failure of communication processes to ensure appreciation of the significance of prefix numbers
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
Implement clearer free-text source details in electronic incident-log transfers between Highways England and police organisations.
Stated by National Highways -
Action
Brief regional operations staff and North West police operators on free-text incident-log entries and disseminate the briefing nationally as best practice.
Stated by National Highways
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Concerns raised1
Failure to communicate MARAC-identified risks and planned safeguarding measures to general practitioners
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.1
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Action
Assist Surrey Police with its detailed review of MARAC workings.
Stated by Surrey County Council
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
Surrey Police, as MARAC lead agency and chair, is responsible for reviewing and improving MARAC workings; Surrey County Council will assist.
Stated by Surrey County Council
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Concerns raised1
Failure to communicate immediate family concerns to relevant care agencies
This report raised 13 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
Reinforce that clinicians may receive information from families and carers without patient consent to share information.
Stated by Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Implement robust communication, information-sharing and aligned clinical pathways with We Are With You.
Stated by Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Reinforce family and carer involvement in care, including receiving carer information and sharing information with patient consent.
Stated by Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure to provide coordinated interpreted communication about prisoner transfers
This report raised 20 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.1
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Action
Improve interpretation-service use at HMP Manchester by providing conference-style telephones for case reviews.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
Data last updated 7 September 2026