Recurring concern
Failure to provide continuity of care staffing
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Request correctionFirst reported 28 Mar 2013•Latest report 8 Feb 2024
What this concern includes
Includes failures involving continuity, consistency or cover of staff responsible for ongoing care, including frequent changes of care staff, lack of a stable nursing or medical team, fragmented care coordination, and failure to provide substitute staff during prolonged absence.
Not included
- Excludes general staffing shortages, inadequate staffing numbers or excessive workload where continuity of the care team is not the identified unsafe condition.
- Excludes failures limited to continuity of treatment, clinical responsibility, information sharing or care planning when staff continuity is not materially involved.
- Excludes generic agency-staff reliance, recruitment or retention concerns unless they directly result in unreliable continuity of care staffing.
- Excludes continuity failures in non-care functions or services unless the assertion concerns staff responsible for providing ongoing care.
- Reports
- 30
- Individual concerns
- 30
- Date range
- 2013–2024
- Stated actions
- 47
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 continuity of care
This report raised 11 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
Add the date of X-ray performance and review to consultant handover documentation.
Stated by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Lack of continuity of care caused by reliance on locum GPs
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 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
Inconsistent daytime consultant presence in the High Dependency Unit
This report raised 14 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
Define critical-care leadership and accountability under the consultant in charge, with consultant-led handover for junior night staff.
Stated by Queen Victoria Hospital 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
NHS Improvement, NHS England, and the Care Quality Commission, working with the Trust and commissioners, were responsible for ensuring appropriate action.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
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Concerns raised1
Lack of continuity in medical staff dispatched by the GP's practice
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 continuity of care staff
This report raised 15 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 to maintain clinical review and care coordination during prolonged staff absence
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.2
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Action
Maintain guidance requiring clinical teams to contact service users and assess alternative arrangements during planned or unplanned staff absence.
Stated by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Direct clinical services to consider consistent compliance with staff-absence cover guidance, with feedback and further direction through the Quality Governance Committee.
Stated by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure to provide specialist diabetes outreach cover during absence
This report raised 8 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
Put a sickness-cover and backfill plan in place for the specialist outreach nurse post.
Stated by Stockport 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 sickness-cover plan for the specialist outreach nurse had already been put in place before the patient's death.
Stated by Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure to provide Acute Liaison Nurse cover during staff absence
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 to ensure continuity of the Emotional Wellbeing course
This report raised 4 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 continuity among staff undertaking observations of individual patients
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.
Data last updated 7 September 2026