Recurring concern
Failure to seek medical attention when a person's condition warrants it
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Request correctionFirst reported 5 Sep 2013•Latest report 16 Jun 2026
What this concern includes
Includes failures to recognise the need for and promptly seek medical, paramedic or other appropriate clinical assistance when a person's injury, pain, fall, deterioration or other condition warrants it, including failures in care homes and emergency-response settings.
Not included
- Excludes delays or failures occurring after medical assistance has already been requested, including ambulance attendance or hospital handover delays.
- Excludes failures limited to the quality of assessment or treatment after medical assistance has been obtained.
- Excludes failures to seek advice about routine care arrangements where no immediate or clinically warranted need for medical attention is identified.
- Excludes generic staffing, training, communication or documentation deficiencies unless they directly result in failure to seek warranted medical attention.
- Reports
- 56
- Individual concerns
- 61
- Date range
- 2013–2026
- Stated actions
- 81
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 of staff clinical judgement to recognise the need for urgent medical attention in critically ill people
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
Delays in calling paramedics for deteriorating patients
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.4
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Action
Redistribute NEWS2 quick-reference guides across inpatient sites and directorates.
Stated by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Deploy handheld devices for electronic NEWS2 recording, automatic scoring and escalation alerts across Adult Mental Health inpatient areas.
Stated by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Deliver comprehensive NEWS2, anaphylaxis and emergency-treatment training with scenario-based exercises for inpatient staff.
Stated by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
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Action
Agree priority-one ambulance responses for emergencies from Mental Health units until the hospital crash process is operational.
Stated by Nottinghamshire Healthcare 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
A crash bleep was discounted because the duty doctor covered multiple sites and could not provide an immediate response.
Stated by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Lack of public awareness of the need to seek urgent medical attention after a dog or cat bite when generally unwell with an underlying illness
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
Failure to recognise snoring as a potential sign of partial airway obstruction requiring medical attention in people with reduced consciousness
This report raised 5 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 and provide a vulnerability learning programme supporting consistent identification of hidden medical conditions and other risks requiring intervention.
Stated by College of Policing -
Action
Align officers’ first-aid training with Metropolitan Police guidance on snoring, airway obstruction, jaw thrust, and breathing monitoring.
Stated by City of London Police
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
The programme cannot provide detailed training covering every medical emergency or policing context because officers attend a wide range of incidents.
Stated by College of Policing
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Position
Chief Officers may add medical training where local force risk assessments identify a critical need, under local clinical governance advice.
Stated by College of Policing
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Concerns raised1
Delays in organising medical assistance for serious deterioration
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.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of an ambulance escalation safety net when Adult Social Care cannot respond promptly
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
Establish an on-call rota identifying a manager responsible for out-of-hours periods.
Stated by Wakefield City 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
Adult Social Care considers its reviewed and strengthened systems sufficiently robust, so no additional actions are required following the report.
Stated by Wakefield City Council
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Concerns raised1
Failure to request necessary medical attention
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.1
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Action
Update and implement the home's falls policy and procedure with clearer instructions for unwitnessed falls and post-fall actions.
Stated by Interhaze Ltd
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Concerns raised2
Failure to seek clinical assessment when staff note deterioration in residents' health
Failure to seek clinical assessment for frail residents following falls
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 seek medical attention for patients’ pressure sores
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.
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 seeking out-of-hours medical advice and requesting GP review
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.1
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Action
Implement the GP and NHS 111 escalation procedure, including urgency assessment, clear clinical communications and service-level auditing.
Stated by Shaw Healthcare Limited
Data last updated 7 September 2026