Recurring concern
Inadequate mental health risk assessment
First reported 3 Dec 2013•Latest report 1 Jun 2026
What this concern includes
Includes deficiencies in the mental health risk-assessment process, including incomplete assessment, inadequate documentation or formulation, failure to gather relevant information, and reliance on insufficient indicators when assessing patients with mental health concerns.
Not included
- Excludes failures in communication, handover, escalation, review, or safety planning unless the report explicitly presents them as a component failure of the mental health risk-assessment process.
- Excludes risk assessments concerning unrelated hazards, settings, or beneficiary groups, such as antenatal growth risk, roadside trees, or general safeguarding.
- Excludes generic workforce training or staffing deficiencies that are not specifically tied to inadequate mental health risk assessment.
- Reports
- 118
- Individual concerns
- 135
- Date range
- 2013–2026
- Stated actions
- 234
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
Inability to carry out risk assessments with mental health input during patrol state
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.
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
Risk-based ACCT observation levels already account for increased night-state risk when full review and mental-health input are unavailable.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Concerns raised1
Failure to incorporate relevant information into discharge assessment
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.
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 reconcile and challenge contradictory suicide-risk information
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.1
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Action
Work closely with CANDI to assist its investigation, action-plan development and implementation to prevent similar incidents.
Stated by Royal Free London 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
CANDI, which employs and manages the Mental Health Liaison service, must substantively address the concerns.
Stated by Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure to complete SASH forms for risk information emerging outside current court detention
This report raised 12 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
Use the next custody newsletter to reinforce PER completion, inspection, warning-page, envelope, risk-marker and external-information responsibilities.
Stated by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
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Concerns raised1
Inadequate assessment of patients’ risk of suicide
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
Failure to complete mental health and suicide risk assessments
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.
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 obtain and update patients’ risk history and assessment
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 raised2
Over-reliance on inpatient status as a protective factor in suicide risk assessment
Failure to conduct full self-harm and suicide risk assessments after concerning incidents
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.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Ambiguous terminology in required mental health risk assessments
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.4
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Action
Transform clinical risk assessment and management, including new training and electronic risk-assessment documentation.
Stated by Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust -
Action
Implement the newly reviewed Trust risk policy and risk summary form across the organisation.
Stated by Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust -
Action
Audit the quality of risk assessments as part of implementing the new Risk Summary.
Stated by Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust
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Action
Issue Trust-wide compliance bulletins and reminders specifying terminology for missing-person risk assessments.
Stated by Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure to adequately recognise the significance of complex mental health issues in risk assessment
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.3
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Action
Deliver vulnerability, mental-health and suicide-prevention training for Operational Communications Branch staff, including professional-curiosity, safeguarding and child mental-health content.
Stated by Greater Manchester Police -
Action
Develop a business case for posting two mental-health professionals to the Operational Communications Branch during key demand periods.
Stated by Greater Manchester Police -
Action
Review, launch, disseminate and apply the FWIN Escalation Policy with defined responsibilities, risk assessment, escalation, resourcing and delay-recording requirements.
Stated by Greater Manchester Police
Data last updated 7 September 2026