Recurring concern
Unreliable healthcare patient transfer processes
- Reports that mention this concern
- 103
- Times this concern has been raised
- 131
- Stated actions linked to this concern
- 151
What this concern includes
Includes failures in healthcare transfer procedures, coordination, responsibility, transfer documentation and provision of complete clinical information to the transporting or receiving team.
What is not included
- Ordinary shift handover with no transfer of the patient or care responsibility
- Clinical treatment failures after a safe and complete transfer
- Discharge to the community where no healthcare transfer process is involved
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 103 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
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Concerns raised2
Lack of clear, detailed transfer documentation covering medication, medical history and recurrent falls
Failure to request a transfer document
Linked responses
- Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals of Derby and Burton 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.1
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Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Use standardized SBAR transfer documentation to communicate patients’ clinical history, needs and risks between care providers.
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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Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
DCHS considers its established Admission, Discharge and Transfer Policy and SBAR process sufficient for safe patient transfers.
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Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
UHDB considers established transfer, admission-assessment and information-sharing processes sufficient to support safe information exchange between care providers.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of specific written confirmation of falls-risk handovers between wards
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Stockport 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
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Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Relaunch the formal patient handover document across the Trust through weekly bulletin and targeted governance-team emails.
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Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Remove all unauthorised patient handover documents from use.
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Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Audit use of the correct patient handover document through the senior nursing team’s ward audit programme.
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Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Use the patient handover document in a Chief Nurse-led senior nurse walkround to reinforce communication of risks during transfers.
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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Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
The Trust’s formal handover document records falls risk for all transferred patients, contrary to the concern that no specific written confirmation is required.
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Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
The six-hour assessment standard is retained because it allows admission and accurate documentation, while formal handover provides immediate risk communication.
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Concerns raised1
Insufficient clarity about key contacts during inter-provider transfers between SASH and RSFT
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
- Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
- Surrey and Sussex Healthcare 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.2
-
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Implement an inter-organisation transfer pathway that gives patients, GPs and receiving clinicians the receiving organisation’s nominated contact details.
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Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Ratify and use a proforma transfer letter, providing it to patients at their final face-to-face visit and copying it to their GP and receiving Clinical Nurse Specialist.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to consult PLS staff about escort and transfer arrangements
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.
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Concerns raised3
Lack of clear procedures for transferring patients under a section
Lack of clear procedures for documentation and resources accompanying transferred patients
Delays in accepting transfers of patients under a section
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
- Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching 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.3
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Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust
Distribute interim transfer guidance to staff of both Trusts.
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Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust
Amend inter-Trust agreements and relevant policies to clarify responsibilities for transferring detained patients.
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Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust
Develop a co-produced operational protocol defining safe transfer, referral, escalation, documentation, resources, multidisciplinary review and responsible clinicians.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to provide a nurse escort during transfer of severely unwell and confused patients
This report raised 9 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
-
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Cross-city nurse escorts are sometimes impracticable because they remove experienced staff for over an hour and may compromise care of other patients.
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Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Yorkshire Ambulance Service facilitates safe transfer for cross-city patients instead of a Trust nurse escort.
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Concerns raised1
Inadequate and incomplete transfer and communication from inpatient care to the CMHT
This report raised 9 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Greater Manchester Mental Health 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.1
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Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Address coordination of diabetes management at discharge through the diabetes steering group.
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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Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Existing discharge CPA requirements in the CMHT procedure and clinical-record audits are relied upon to address discharge planning compliance.
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Concerns raised1
Inadequate transfer and communication from inpatient care to the HBTT
This report raised 9 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Greater Manchester Mental Health 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.1
-
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Hold daily multidisciplinary meetings on Safire Ward with HBTT participation to discuss patients, care plans, and discharge requirements.
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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Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
HBTT staff reviewed the patient before discharge and considered that the information needed to support transfer had been shared verbally.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to document justified falls-risk reassessments during hospital transfer
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Northumbria 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.1
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Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Place the AFLOAT assessment and observation chart into the NerveCentre electronic care record, with mandatory daily registered-nurse review.
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Concerns raised1
Departure from established procedures for safe transfers from the emergency department to the observation unit
This report raised 7 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals 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
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Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
Run a weekly task-and-finish group and audits to improve discharge and transfer documentation compliance across both sites.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Data last updated 7 September 2026