First reported 29 Sep 2013•Latest report 18 Dec 2025
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures in the process for providing clinically urgent diagnostic investigations, including ordering or initiation, scheduling, performance, reporting and timely availability for clinical review, across diagnostic modalities and clinical settings.
Not included
Excludes routine or non-urgent diagnostic waiting times where urgency is not identified.
Excludes failures limited to interpretation or clinical action after a result was timely available, unless the investigation's reporting or availability was also deficient.
Excludes generic staffing, communication, capacity or documentation deficiencies unless they directly cause delay or unreliability in providing an urgent diagnostic investigation.
Excludes a separately named diagnostic pathway or modality concern where that named system supplies the more specific supported parent boundary.
Excludes delays in treatment, referral or specialist review where no urgent diagnostic-investigation failure is identified.
Reports
24
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
27
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2013–2025
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
66
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.
Department of Health and Social Care4
NHS England2
Ashford and St Peter'S Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust1
Barts Health NHS Trust1
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust1
Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB1
Care Quality Commission1
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust1
Doncaster Royal Infirmary1
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust1
Glan Clwyd Hospital1
Glangwili General Hospital1
Husband of the deceased1
King's College Hospital1
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust1
NHS trust14
Healthcare site4
Ministerial department4
Executive non-departmental public body2
Health professional body2
Coronial office1
Health and social care service regulator1
Independent healthcare provider1
Integrated care board1
Local health board1
Multi-service care provider1
Private limited company1
Trade union and professional body1
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.
Hampshire, Portsmouth Southampton
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of blood tests and imaging in Urgent Care Centres
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.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
South Yorkshire (Eastern)
Concerns raised1
Failure to maintain accurate medical records and communicate information needed for urgent tests
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.3
Action
Implement the identified communication and documentation immediate safety actions in the Emergency Department under senior-doctor oversight.
Stated by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 1 September 2025.
Action
Develop and implement a chest-pain standing operating procedure defining required clinical assessment and investigations in the Emergency Department.
Stated by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 1 September 2025.
Action
Introduce a local Emergency Department quality-improvement initiative focused on communication and contemporaneous documentation.
Stated by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 1 September 2025.
East London
Concerns raised1
Failure to commence appropriate investigations at an early stage
This report raised 6 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.2
Action
Add enhanced rapid assessment training to resident doctor induction.
Stated by Barts Health NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 29 May 2025.
Action
Train regular locum doctors in rapid assessment and treatment.
Stated by Barts Health NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 29 May 2025.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Concerns raised1
Delays in Radiologist review of emergency chest x-rays
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 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.3
Action
Publish national image-report turnaround-time guidance, including a four-hour maximum for acutely unwell A&E patients during routine hours.
Stated by NHS EnglandStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 September 2023.
Action
Support Trusts to increase radiology reporting capacity through additional reporting radiographers, radiologist trainees, international recruitment and workforce planning tools.
Stated by NHS EnglandStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 26 September 2023.
Action
Implement the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan to train, retain and reform healthcare staff across the NHS over fifteen years.
Stated by NHS EnglandStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 26 September 2023.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Shortage of radiographers and radiologists causing delays in scan performance and reporting
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 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.1
Action
Implement the Long Term Workforce Plan to improve training, staff retention, workforce reform and sustainable staffing.
Stated by NHS EnglandStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 July 2023.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
NHS Trusts are responsible for ensuring appropriate staffing, senior clinical support and diagnostic provision for anticipated demand.
Stated by NHS EnglandRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
West Yorkshire Eastern
Concerns raised2
Delays in urgent diagnostic imaging for patients displaying septic shock symptoms
Delays in urgent blood sample delivery and reporting
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 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.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Delays in providing urgently required fetal growth scans
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 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.
Mid Kent and Medway
Concerns raised1
Delays in making lumbar puncture results available
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.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
The viral lumbar puncture results were received within the normal turnaround time for this outsourced investigation.
Stated by Medway NHS Foundation TrustDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen
Concerns raised1
Inappropriate and undocumented prioritisation of urgent MRI scans
This report raised 16 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.1
Action
Review inpatient radiology priorities at vetting stage and align time-based priorities with NICE guidance where applicable.
Stated by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 8 March 2021.
Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
Concerns raised1
Delays in diagnosis and treatment caused by sequential rather than concurrent coordination of tests, reports, appointments and discussions
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.11
Action
Update the standard operating procedure for referring suspected or confirmed lung cancer patients for surgical resection.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Streamline the lung cancer diagnostic pathway through direct-to-CT referral, urgent chest X-ray reporting, and coordinated diagnostic processes.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Implement and ratify diagnostic bundles specifying appropriate investigations for patient groups and pre-surgical risk assessment.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Flag concerning abnormal chest X-rays to the Lung Cancer Team daily.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Triage CT results daily after abnormal chest X-rays raise possible lung cancer, alerting the Lung Cancer Team and responsible consultant.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Standardize pre-operative assessment to minimize clinically unnecessary tests and associated delays.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Allow PET scans to be requested before multidisciplinary discussion, requiring discussion after the PET-CT result.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Increase surgical clinical capacity to prevent delays in clinic appointments.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Maintain coordinated lung cancer working arrangements with UHNM, including weekly thoracic surgical outpatient clinics and multidisciplinary team attendance.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Continue quality improvement work towards compliance with the National Optimal Lung Cancer Pathway.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
Action
Agree a standard operating procedure for referrals for surgical resection of proven or suspected lung cancer.
Stated by University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 February 2020.
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Includes failures in the process for providing clinically urgent diagnostic investigations, including ordering or initiation, scheduling, performance, reporting and timely availability for clinical review, across diagnostic modalities and clinical settings.
