First reported 10 Oct 2013•Latest report 14 Jan 2026
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures in clinical assessment processes where face-to-face assessment is clinically indicated but is omitted, not offered, not required by policy, or replaced by remote contact without an adequate safety threshold; include the anchor and comparable primary-care or community-care assertions.
Not included
Excludes failures limited to telephone mental health assessment, which belong to the separately named mental-health telephone-assessment concern when that is the supported boundary.
Excludes remote consultations where the report does not identify a clinically indicated need for face-to-face assessment.
Excludes failures in treatment, referral, follow-up or diagnostic testing after an adequate face-to-face assessment has occurred.
Excludes generic access, staffing or communication deficiencies unless they directly result in failure to provide clinically indicated face-to-face assessment.
Reports
21
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
21
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2013–2026
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
24
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 Care7
NHS England2
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board2
49 Marine Avenue Surgery1
Ayurvedic Professionals Association1
Belmont Health Centre1
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust1
Care Quality Commission1
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust1
East London NHS Foundation Trust1
General Medical Council1
General Pharmaceutical Council1
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership1
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust1
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust1
NHS trust9
Ministerial department7
Healthcare site5
Integrated care board3
Executive non-departmental public body2
Company limited by guarantee1
English unitary authority1
Health and care professional regulator1
Health and social care service regulator1
Health professional body1
Health-system partnership1
Independent healthcare provider1
Medicines and medical devices regulator1
Multi-service care provider1
Professional body1
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.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Failure to arrange an in-person physical examination
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 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
Failure to provide face-to-face GP assessment when deterioration may be present
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.5
Action
Review systems for recording and prioritising consultation and home-visit requests.
Stated by North Trafford Group PracticeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 29 April 2022.
Action
Remind reception staff to record every home-visit request in the clinical system for clinician assessment.
Stated by North Trafford Group PracticeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 29 April 2022.
Action
Reinforce home-visit request recording requirements through reception staff orientation and training.
Stated by North Trafford Group PracticeStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 29 April 2022.
Action
Progress the Greater Manchester access action plan to increase general-practice capacity and appointments, expand face-to-face GP access, reduce avoidable demand, and improve healthcare inequalities.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 29 April 2022.
Action
Review the balance between remote and face-to-face consultations across Greater Manchester general practices.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 29 April 2022.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
Existing digital systems provide clinician-triaged access to telephone, video, face-to-face consultations or home visits, with alternatives for patients unable to use them.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Position
CQC and NHS England will make required improvements across practices that do not meet patients’ reasonable needs.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Leicester City and South Leicestershire
Concerns raised1
Lack of required face-to-face consultation before dispensing drugs
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 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
Launch a call for evidence on remote consultations and prescribing to assess whether existing guidance remained appropriate for changing practice and technology.
Stated by General Medical CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 4 November 2021.
Action
Publish updated prescribing guidance covering remote consultation suitability, information sharing, patient dialogue, and safeguards for controlled or potentially addictive medicines.
Stated by General Medical CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 4 November 2021.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
Online consultations and prescribing without face-to-face assessment can be safe where appropriate safeguards, history-taking, GP engagement and monitoring exist.
Stated by Care Quality CommissionDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Predominant use of telephone appointments instead of face-to-face or video appointments
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 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
Encourage general practices to provide face-to-face consultations where clinically appropriate alongside remote triage.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board and Tameside Borough CouncilStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 14 June 2021.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
General practices were not predominantly using telephone appointments; over half of appointments were face to face, with additional home visits.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board and Tameside Borough CouncilDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
National and local guidance already required remote triage, risk stratification, oximetry and escalation pathways for potentially high-risk Covid-19 patients.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board and Tameside Borough CouncilExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Inner West London
Concerns raised1
Failure to provide early and ongoing in-person assessment by a fully qualified psychiatrist
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 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.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Failure to provide timely face-to-face psychiatric assessment after worsened-condition referral
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.2
Action
Require escalation of Home Treatment referrals not seen within 48 hours to a consultant psychiatrist or team manager for prioritised review.
Stated by East London NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 10 July 2017.
Action
Provide routine doctor review within 72 hours for Home Treatment referrals without prior professional assessment, with out-of-hours emergency review by on-call psychiatry.
Stated by East London NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 10 July 2017.
West Yorkshire (Western)
Concerns raised1
Remote diagnosis without face-to-face assessment
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 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.
County Durham and Darlington
Concerns raised1
Failure to obtain or require face-to-face assessment when clinically indicated
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 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
Remind staff to explore and use alternative venues for appointments.
Stated by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 18 August 2014.
Action
Share recommendations with the crisis team and reinforce consultation with colleagues and medical staff for complex assessments.
Stated by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 18 August 2014.
Inner South London
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of timely physician assessment for acutely ill psychiatric-facility patients
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 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.
Worcestershire
Concerns raised1
Failure to provide timely face-to-face assessment of patients at high risk of concealed suicide
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 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.
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Includes failures in clinical assessment processes where face-to-face assessment is clinically indicated but is omitted, not offered, not required by policy, or replaced by remote contact without an adequate safety threshold; include the anchor and comparable primary-care or community-care assertions.
