Recurring concern
Failure of echocardiography services to provide timely diagnostic assessment and follow-up
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Request correctionFirst reported 13 Oct 2014•Latest report 10 Mar 2026
What this concern includes
Includes failures dedicated to the echocardiography service or pathway, including timely access or availability, performance of clinically indicated echocardiograms, and timely review, communication or follow-up of echocardiography results.
Not included
- Excludes failures concerning other diagnostic investigations unless the report expressly ties them to the echocardiography service.
- Excludes generic staffing, appointment, information-management or governance deficiencies that are not specifically dedicated to echocardiography.
- Excludes clinical decisions or treatment failures occurring after echocardiography unless they concern the timely review, communication or follow-up of its results.
- Reports
- 9
- Individual concerns
- 10
- Date range
- 2014–2026
- Stated actions
- 15
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 raised2
Lack of a system ensuring timely review and consideration of echocardiography results
Lack of a pathway for echocardiography teams to flag results to clinical teams
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
Operate and update the echocardiography escalation protocol, including senior review routes and a new criterion for pulmonary hypertension findings.
Stated by North Middlesex University Hospital -
Action
Automatically book cancelled appointments into the next available follow-up slot and escalate repeated service cancellations for senior clinical review.
Stated by North Middlesex University Hospital -
Action
Operate and annually review the echocardiography escalation pathway, including escalation of significant abnormalities and the added criterion for new pulmonary hypertension.
Stated by North Middlesex University Hospital
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Action
Automatically book cancelled appointments into the next available follow-up slot and escalate repeated service cancellations to the Cardiology service manager for senior review.
Stated by North Middlesex University Hospital
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Position
An established echocardiography escalation pathway and protocol adequately address significant abnormal findings.
Stated by North Middlesex University Hospital
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Position
An established echocardiography escalation pathway and protocol are considered sufficient to address significant abnormal findings.
Stated by North Middlesex University Hospital
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Concerns raised1
Failure to undertake interval cardiac scans or echocardiograms to check for deterioration
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
Lack of routine echocardiograms for babies born to mothers with diabetes
This report raised 9 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
Whether additional fetal echocardiography is offered depends on individual risk assessment and the treating clinician’s discretion.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
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Concerns raised1
Failure to obtain echocardiography for critically unwell patients in shock
This report raised 21 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.6
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Action
Include focused cardiac ultrasound for shock assessment in the emergency medicine training curriculum.
Stated by Royal College of Emergency Medicine -
Action
Provide echocardiography training to trainees.
Stated by North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Review HiLLO descriptors and consider clarifying echocardiography training and skills requirements.
Stated by Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
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Action
Consult on GPICS version 3 guidance, including standards for echocardiography access, image storage, training and quality assurance.
Stated by Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine -
Action
Work with hospital cardiology service providers to improve reliable access to emergent out-of-hours echocardiography.
Stated by Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine -
Action
Work with providers to gain assurance that critically ill patients have 24/7 access to transthoracic or focused echocardiography.
Stated by NHS Central East Integrated Care Board
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Position
Pre-arrest focused cardiac ultrasound was not a reasonable expectation because the applicable emergency medicine curriculum did not include shock assessment.
Stated by Royal College of Emergency Medicine
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Position
The case was not caused by inability to perform echocardiography; appropriately trained clinicians could have performed the procedure if cardiogenic shock was suspected.
Stated by North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Shortage of suitably qualified professionals to carry out essential cardiac 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 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
Deliver the Long-Term Workforce Plan, including expanded education, training, recruitment, retention, and strategic workforce planning.
Stated by NHS England -
Action
Support local services to recover elective care, reduce waiting times, improve diagnostic turnaround, and create additional capacity for complex and urgent care.
Stated by NHS England
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 Trusts, rather than NHS England, are responsible for ensuring safe staffing levels in day-to-day hospital operations.
Stated by NHS England
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Concerns raised1
Unclear responsibility for expediting required echocardiograms
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.
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
Clarify and agree the urgent echocardiogram process, including criteria, responsibilities, timescales, multidisciplinary discussion and escalation.
Stated by Oxford University Hospitals 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
An existing Trust process governs urgent echocardiogram requests, including responsibility, timescales, multidisciplinary discussion and escalation.
Stated by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Insufficient trans-oesophageal echocardiogram resources
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
Delayed availability of echocardiogram results
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.
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
Develop and implement an electronic reporting system for test results, including echocardiography.
Stated by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King'S Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Unavailability of echocardiography facilities after 5.00pm
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
Review out-of-hours CRI provision and explore procurement of a portable echocardiogram machine.
Stated by Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care 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
Existing capacity and demand mean echocardiography can currently be provided only during daytime hours, while out-of-hours provision is being explored.
Stated by Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Data last updated 7 September 2026