Unreliable inter-specialty communication for complex patient care
First to latest report 27 Sep 2013 — 22 Dec 2025
Reports that mention this concern
17
Times this concern has been raised
18
Stated actions linked to this concern
34
What this concern includes
Includes failures of dedicated communication arrangements between clinical specialties involved in the same patient's care, including absent or ineffective formal frameworks, unclear communication routes, poor exchange of plans and actions, and unreliable communication in complex or dynamically changing cases, including across NHS Trusts.
What is not included
Excludes generic communication or information-sharing failures where no inter-specialty clinical-care context is identified.
Excludes failures confined to a single specialty's internal communication, documentation or clinical decision-making.
Excludes inter-agency coordination concerns involving non-clinical agencies or services unless the assertion specifically concerns communication between clinical specialties.
Excludes failures in a separately named pathway, such as radiology coordination, clinical handover or a condition-specific referral system, where that named process provides the more specific supported boundary.
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.
Department of Health and Social Care3
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust3
Barts Health NHS Trust2
NHS England2
Aneurin Bevan University LHB1
Association Of British Neurologists1
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council1
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust1
Care Quality Commission1
College of Policing1
Dorset County Council1
Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust1
Dorset Police1
King'S College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust1
Lincolnshire County Council1
NHS trust14
Integrated care board4
Executive non-departmental public body3
Ministerial department3
English county council2
Multi-service care provider2
Registered charity2
English unitary authority1
Health and social care service regulator1
Health professional body1
Local health board1
National policing body1
Police force1
Professional body1
Reports and published responses 17 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
East London
Concerns raised1
Failure to use targeted factual communication between surgical and anaesthetic teams during surgery
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Failure to manage differences between haematology and neurosurgical recommendations
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Lincolnshire
Concerns raised1
Lack of interface between senior or experienced providers for complex cases
This report raised 13 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Lincolnshire County Council
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
WithYou
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
WithYou
Attend Dual Diagnosis interface meetings and contribute to community release plans with mental-health and wider partner services.
Lincolnshire County Council
Review and revise the joint working protocol and implement a more robust referral pathway across mental health and substance misuse services.
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Implement robust communication, information-sharing and aligned clinical pathways with We Are With You.
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Strengthen dual-diagnosis policies and protocols to provide an enhanced Care Programme Approach with joint substance-misuse working.
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Review internal policies and protocols and embed care pathways with We Are With You, including discussion with commissioners about required investment.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure communication between interventional radiology and hepatology specialists
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
Barts Health 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
Barts Health NHS Trust
Conduct regular documented MDT discussions between medical teams and interventional radiologists, including discussions for non-elective patients outside formal MDT meetings.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Barts Health NHS Trust
Further discussions with the referring team at the procedure stage would not have changed the procedure performed.
Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Manchester City
Concerns raised1
Lack of a system for communication between treating specialty consultants about potential ongoing risks of simultaneous specialty-specific treatments
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Manchester West
Concerns raised1
Failure of communication between specialist teams caring for patients under shared care
Linked response
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals 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
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Discuss shared-care communication concerns at the Trust’s Clinical Advisory Board.
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Develop a shared-care guidance note reminding clinical staff of their communication responsibilities.
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Distribute the approved shared-care guidance to clinical staff and upload it to the Trust’s policy library.
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Monitor the shared-care actions through the Quality and Safety Committee with updates every two months.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
The absence of direct communication between surgical and cardiology teams did not contribute to the deceased’s death.
Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Daily reviews and documented management plans provided sufficient shared-care communication, so direct discussion was not indicated.
Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Much shared-care communication responsibility rests with clinicians’ obligations under the GMC’s Good Medical Practice guidance.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Avon
Concerns raised1
Inadequate communication between the neonatal intensive care and cardiac units
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
Bristol 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
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Develop a structured cardiac transfer pack for use between the NICU and Cardiac Unit.
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Circulate the NICU/BCH link consultant rota regularly to the Cardiac Unit.
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Provide 24-hour telephone access to the NICU nurse in charge for Cardiac Unit staff seeking advice.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.