Recurring concern

Failure to reliably disseminate contextualised safety learning to relevant staff

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First reported 10 Sep 2013•Latest report 6 Feb 2026

Definition

What this concern includes

Includes failures in the dedicated dissemination of safety learning from investigations, incidents or events, including inadequate context or narrative, delayed communication, communication limited to directly involved staff, and failure to share learning with relevant wider staff or successor organisations.

Not included

  • Excludes failures to investigate or analyse an incident where the learning-dissemination process is not itself deficient.
  • Excludes failure to implement corrective actions after learning has been reliably communicated.
  • Excludes generic communication, training or organisational-learning deficiencies without a specific safety-learning dissemination concern.
  • Excludes routine policy or procedure communication unrelated to learning from a safety investigation, incident or event.
Reports
24

Distinct published reports

Individual concerns
26

A report can raise multiple concerns

Date range
2013–2026

First to latest report issue date

Stated actions
31

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 Care6
NHS England5
Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB3
Care Quality Commission2
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence2
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust2
Whittington Health NHS Trust2
Association of Ambulance Chief Executives1
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust1
Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser1
DW Fitness First1
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust1
East London NHS Foundation Trust1
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust1
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust1

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.

  1. Avon

    AI-generated summary

    Mr Gerwyn John REES · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Mr Gerwyn John REES, who was elderly and frail, was admitted to hospital after experiencing falls and was assessed as requiring low-risk enhanced care observations. He fell twice on 29 November 2020, fracturing his hip, and later died in January 2021 following surgery, as a result of general frailty and the hip injury. The principal concerns were the initial low-risk falls assessment, inadequate steps to prevent the fall, and an apparent lack of learning and investigative rigour following his death.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to identify and disseminate learning from serious incidents

    Wider context from the report

    “• I find it very difficult to see how Mr REES could properly have been allocated to level 2 ECO observations (“low risk”) at the time of his initial falls risk assessment on 29 November 2020 • However, notwithstanding that initial concern on my part, I am more concerned by the apparent absence of learning following Mr REES’s death • The Trust’s Root Cause Analysis (‘RCA’) investigation/report (co-authored by ████████ a Matron / Senior Nurse) does not identify any issue or concern in respect of that initial allocation to ECO level 2 • Further – during the inquest – when I questioned the nurse who had approved the initial “Level 2” allocation on Ward A413 ████████ she initially maintained that ECO Level 2 was appropriate for Mr REES at that time, before later conceding to me that he should have been allocated to Level 3 observations from the outset and that ECO Level 2 was not an appropriate categorisation for him at the time of his initial falls risk assessment • When I then questioned ████████ (RCA co-author) about this same point, she too initially gave evidence that ECO Level 2 was a reasonable categorisation for Mr REES during the initial falls risk assessment, applying “clinical judgement” (albeit that she later accepted – I think – that it had not been an appropriate categorisation at that time) • I struggle to see how, as a senior nurse with responsibility for investigating an incident such as this and disseminating learning as a result of it, Nurse ████████ can have suggested to me that ECO 2 was ever appropriate for Mr REES • The lack of criticism of Mr REES’s initial risk allocation to ECO level 2 in the RCA report, coupled with these aspects of the live evidence of Nurse ████████ and Matron ████████ (see above) suggest to me that there was a lack of investigative rigour in the RCA reporting process, and/or that the ECO Policy was (and is) not properly understood by the staff involved in authoring the RCA, or in implementing the policy • Whilst it is relatively commonplace to see circumstances in which policies or standard operating procedures have not been properly understood or implemented on a ward, in real time, it is more concerning still to see circumstances such as these; in which even after the Trust’s investigation and learning process have been completed there does not appear to be an appreciation of where mistakes have been made: this of course means that there has been a missed opportunity to learn from the death in question • For completeness, I do not think that I am wrong in my interpretation of the ECO Policy, but if I am, and if – following that policy properly – a patient with a background such as Mr REES could properly be described as at “low risk” and requiring only the protection that is afforded by ECO level 2, then I would be very concerned that the policy itself was not fit for purpose, or safe. ”

    Source location

    Mr Gerwyn John REES · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 3 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Establish alternative methods for reviewing and learning from patient-safety events that do not require full investigation.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “• There will be alternative methods for reviewing and learning from patient safety events that do not meet the criteria for a full patient safety incident investigation.”

    Source location

    Response from University Hospital Bristol and Weston
    Page 4 · response
    Published 30 September 2022

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Enhance governance arrangements for learning and improvement from patient-safety incidents.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “• Governance arrangements for learning and improvement from patient safety incidents will continue and be enhanced.”

    Source location

    Response from University Hospital Bristol and Weston
    Page 4 · response
    Published 30 September 2022

    Open published response
  2. North Wales (East and Central)

    AI-generated summary

    Rhian Margaret Roberts · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Rhian Margaret Roberts was admitted to hospital after being found unresponsive at home following a presumed overdose, with extremely high paracetamol levels identified on admission. ICU clinicians did not become aware of the results until the early hours of the following morning, and she died on 25 November 2020. Concerns included uncertainty about whether a requested toxicology screen was undertaken, delays in approving an updated procedure for communicating life-threatening blood results, and delays in investigating incidents, sharing learning and implementing actions.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Delays in sharing learning from adverse incidents

    Wider context from the report

    “3. I am concerned that the continual delays in investigating adverse incidents, sharing learning and implementing actions following the same, create risks to patient safety. ”

    Source location

    Rhian Margaret Roberts · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 1 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Operate a new serious-incident process with daily review, executive oversight, rapid learning escalation, appointed investigators and senior reviewers.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “A new process to support the services to deliver timely investigations was commenced in April 2021. This process will improve performance and ensure investigations are robust, proportionate and timely.”

    Source location

    2021-0242-Betsi-Cadwaladr-University-Health-Board_Published
    Page 2 · response
    Published 15 July 2021

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Develop and operate learning-sharing channels, including a portal, lessons-on-a-page, digital dissemination and monthly learning events.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Finally, we are strengthening the sharing of learning by developing a learning portal, lessons on a page, digital sharing of learning and a monthly lessons learned event. To support the new processes, a comprehensive training passport is being finalised. This passport consists of modular courses to develop skills as an investigating officer or senior reviewer. A mentor scheme, drop in support sessions and an ongoing community of practice will also be launched. The application of human factors skills will be a key element of this training.”

    Source location

    2021-0242-Betsi-Cadwaladr-University-Health-Board_Published
    Page 3 · response
    Published 15 July 2021

    Open published response
  3. Gwent

    AI-generated summary

    John BERROW · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    On 11 October 2019, John Berrow attended an optician with unequal pupils and altered eyesight, was referred routinely to an eye hospital, then collapsed later that day and died in hospital. His death was attributed to a ruptured Berry aneurysm. Concerns included failure to recognise unequal pupils as a possible sign of intracranial bleeding or aneurysm, the lack of practical clinical reference tools, and the absence of a mechanism for sharing learning from clinical incidents among practitioners at Specsavers.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of a mechanism for disseminating clinical incident information and improving learning from similar events

    Wider context from the report

    “I was also informed that whilst ████████ shared his experience locally, that there is no mechanism for disseminating information relating to clinical incidents or to improve learning from similar events amongst practitioners at Specsavers. ”

    Source location

    John BERROW · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Commission a specialist optometrist or neuro-ophthalmologist to develop training materials on this presentation.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “This was an unusual presentation. We appreciate the importance of sharing experience and learning across the Company. We are liaising with Specsavers Professional Training team to commission a specialist optometrist or neuro-ophthalmologist to deliver training materials (concentrating on this topic) which will be recorded and disseminated via an online webinar or other similar mechanism which will be available to all Professional staff within the Company. We also hope to make the training available for the wider optical community outside the Company so that there is an opportunity for non-Specsavers practitioners to learn and any and all matters arising out of Mr Berrow’s sad death.”

    Source location

    2021-0080-Response-from-Specsavers-Redacted
    Page 1 · response
    Published 30 March 2021

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Record and disseminate the specialist training through an online webinar or similar mechanism for Company professional staff.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “This was an unusual presentation. We appreciate the importance of sharing experience and learning across the Company. We are liaising with Specsavers Professional Training team to commission a specialist optometrist or neuro-ophthalmologist to deliver training materials (concentrating on this topic) which will be recorded and disseminated via an online webinar or other similar mechanism which will be available to all Professional staff within the Company. We also hope to make the training available for the wider optical community outside the Company so that there is an opportunity for non-Specsavers practitioners to learn and any and all matters arising out of Mr Berrow’s sad death.”

    Source location

    2021-0080-Response-from-Specsavers-Redacted
    Page 1 · response
    Published 30 March 2021

    Open published response
  4. North East Kent

    AI-generated summary

    HARRY RICHFORD · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Harry Richford was born at QEQM on 2 November 2017 and died at William Harvey Hospital on 9 November 2017 after being transferred there. The report describes delays in delivery, shortcomings in the caesarean delivery and neonatal resuscitation, and subsequent hypoxia and brain injury. Substantive concerns included locum recruitment, assessment and supervision; clarity about escalation to consultants; neonatal resuscitation training; record keeping and adherence to guidelines; and inaccurate death notifications and reporting.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to share important independent safety reports with staff

    Wider context from the report

    “Concern 19 Important independent reports do not appear to have been shared within the East Kent Trust's staff, for instance the HSIB report into Harry's death appeared during the inquest to be unknown to a number of the staff. ”

    Source location

    HARRY RICHFORD · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 20 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent position was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    The Trust is responsible for setting out and implementing actions to address the identified maternity-service safety risks.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “I am advised that the Trust Board is taking these matters very seriously and has welcomed the national support being provided. I expect the Trust to set out in its response to your report the actions it is taking to address the important safety risks you have outlined.”

    Source location

    Response from Department of Health and Social Care
    Page 2 · response
    Published 11 October 2022

    Open published response
  5. Manchester South

    AI-generated summary

    Xander Curran-Pass · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Xander Curran-Pass was delivered by category C Caesarean Section on 15 September 2018 after reduced fetal movement, delayed induction of labour, and concerning CTG findings. Resuscitation was unsuccessful and he died; post-mortem examination identified poor placental function associated with chronic villitis and thrombotic vasculopathy. The substantive concerns included delays in review and delivery, inadequate monitoring and documentation, and unclear or inconsistent processes for managing induction of labour and reduced fetal movement.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of national provision for sharing maternity induction-of-labour learning

    Wider context from the report

    “1.The inquest was told that there was a growing challenge to maternity units from the rise in Induction of Labour and the pressure to ensure that timescales set out in NICE guidance were met. In this case and since the death of Xander the trust have taken steps to reconfigure their IOL process to reduce risk but no provision to share such learning nationally existed; ”

    Source location

    Xander Curran-Pass · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
  6. Inner North London

    AI-generated summary

    Catherine Mary GIBBON · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Catherine Mary Gibbon suffered a seizure while swimming at a gym on 1 June 2018 and remained face down in the water for around ten minutes. She sustained a hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury following non-fatal drowning and died. Concerns included inadequate pool monitoring and CCTV arrangements, a broken camera, insufficient staff training and emergency equipment, and gaps in first-aid certification systems.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to share and act on learning from comparable pool deaths

    Wider context from the report

    “Fitness First have taken steps to address some of these issues, and told me that such learning is shared at a national level. However, at inquest Fitness First national lead for health and safety told me that he was unaware that I sent a prevention of future deaths report to Bannatyne’s on 13 August 2018, regarding a death in similar circumstances in Maida Vale on 10 October 2017. I did copy this report to Swim England, but this does not appear to have prompted a national conversation among private pool providers. I leave that now with UK Active. ”

    Source location

    Catherine Mary GIBBON · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 3 · concerns

    Open source report
  7. Brighton and Hove

    AI-generated summary

    Mrs. Joan Catherine BLABER · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    The report concerns the death of Mrs. Joan Catherine BLABER, with the circumstances referred to in the Record of Inquest. The principal concerns included failures to comply with COSHH requirements, inadequate training and supervision, confusion over staff roles, poor communication of practices, and failures to report and learn from dangerous or near-miss events.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to disseminate near-miss events

    Wider context from the report

    “(8) Failure to identify "near miss" events, to disseminate these and to learn from previous mistakes. ”

    Source location

    Mrs. Joan Catherine BLABER · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Appraise the Trust incident-reporting system and develop preliminary recommendations for improving incident data capture and analysis.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Following the inquest, ████████, our Deputy Chief of Safety has commenced a wide ranging appraisal of the Trust’s Incident Reporting system. This piece of work is still in progress, the preliminary recommendations include:”

    Source location

    Response from Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals
    Page 3 · response
    Published 23 February 2024

    Open published response
  8. Manchester City

    AI-generated summary

    Mr John Griffiths · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Mr John Griffiths had a history including ischaemic heart disease and presented with worsening shortness of breath and other symptoms before suffering a cardiac arrest at home and dying in hospital on 8 April 2016. The substantive concerns included failures to complete and process a cardiology referral, inadequate review of previous emergency-department records and investigations, and the absence of a system to identify relevant recent attendances or admissions.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to share learning from events with the new Trust

    Wider context from the report

    “3. The learning from these events needs to be shared with the new Trust. ”

    Source location

    Mr John Griffiths · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 3 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Share the coroner’s report and this response with the board of the new Trust.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “I can confirm that the Trust will share your report and this response with the board of the new Trust.”

    Source location

    2017-0222-Response-by-UHSM
    Page 2 · response
    Published 24 September 2017

    Open published response
  9. Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

    AI-generated summary

    Scott Douglas Hooper · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Scott Douglas Hooper, aged 46, died on 22 March 2016 after sustaining complex pelvic fractures in an unwitnessed workplace forklift accident and later suffering a pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis. The principal concerns were that his weight was incorrectly recorded, affecting the prescribed anticoagulant dose, and that a decision to withhold a dose was not recorded with the decision-maker identified.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to disseminate and implement weight-estimation learning and training for clinical staff treating high-risk patients

    Wider context from the report

    “1. On admission to SGH on 12 March, Mr Hooper's weight was incorrectly recorded as 80kg when the reality was his true weight was 107 kg – a difference of 27 kg (or 3.5lbs) which is a considerable difference. This is important as the amount of anti-coagulant drugs to be given according to the SGH thromboprophylaxis protocol is calculated on weight. 2. As stated above, on 15 March when the clinical decision was made to withhold the morning dose of Tpx medication it could not be ascertained who made the decision. This was a significant clinical decision and it is a basic requirement that all clinical decisions are recorded in order to capture capturing who made the decision and why. In respect of both of these concerns, during the investigation I learned through the Root Cause Analysis that a Trauma & Orthopaedic Morbidity & Mortality meeting had been held. In addition, I was told during the inquest that a nonogram was now in use to improve weight estimation for those patients where it was not possible to obtain actual weight and that training was underway in relation to its use for elderly patients. I also heard that some new beds with built in weight indicating scales were to be purchased within 2 months subject to cost and commissioning. Whilst a valuable tool, a single T&O M&M meeting is only effective for those doctors and nursing staff who attend. I was not given any other detail as to how the valuable lessons to be learned from this case were to be spread to clinical staff across the T&O department or the whole Trust as weight estimation can be equally important in many other medical specialisms. I was told during the inquest that training was currently taking place in respect of elderly patients but I was not given a plan or timetable for other high risk patients such as Mr Hooper who was only 46 years old and suffered from an acute crush pelvic trauma which had the potential to be life threatening. Mr Hooper died on 22 March 2016 but as yet no active steps have been taken to address patients who fall into the same category. The same principle can be said to apply to bed purchase and it did not appear to be an agreed action that beds with scales would be used to improve the problem of weight estimation in order to ensure accurate dosage of essential medication. ”

    Source location

    Scott Douglas Hooper · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 3 · concerns

    Open source report
  10. Manchester City

    AI-generated summary

    Stephen Alan HUNT · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Stephen Alan Hunt, a firefighter, died after entering a fire at Paul's Hair and Beauty World in Manchester on 13 July 2013. He was found inside the premises after suffering heat exhaustion and hypoxia. The principal concerns included failures in communication and handover, misinterpretation of instructions, loss of telemetry and radio communications, inadequate fire risk assessments and fire safety measures, and decisions affecting firefighter safety.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of effective means to ensure fire and rescue services meet expectations and disseminate national learning

    Wider context from the report

    “(10) It is understood that there are some 45 Fire and Rescue Services and the findings of the inquest need to be disseminated down to them all. The pressure is upon them to find their own solutions to problems against the backdrop of financial pressures. The Home Office now leads on fire issues and there has been ever increasing decentralisation. Whilst this is not without merit there appear to be difficulties in ensuring that services are meeting expectations and a means of disseminating national learning. It is suggested that consideration is given to being able to mobilise a national and consistent approach to sharing the learning and testing so that it can be shown to be received, understood, actioned and embedded. ”

    Source location

    Stephen Alan HUNT · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 10 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to test whether national learning is received, understood, actioned and embedded

    Wider context from the report

    “(10) It is understood that there are some 45 Fire and Rescue Services and the findings of the inquest need to be disseminated down to them all. The pressure is upon them to find their own solutions to problems against the backdrop of financial pressures. The Home Office now leads on fire issues and there has been ever increasing decentralisation. Whilst this is not without merit there appear to be difficulties in ensuring that services are meeting expectations and a means of disseminating national learning. It is suggested that consideration is given to being able to mobilise a national and consistent approach to sharing the learning and testing so that it can be shown to be received, understood, actioned and embedded. ”

    Source location

    Stephen Alan HUNT · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 10 · concerns

    Open source report
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Data last updated 7 September 2026