Recurring concern
Inadequate recording of medication prescribing decisions
First reported 21 Mar 2014•Latest report 27 Oct 2025
What this concern includes
Includes deficiencies in records supporting medication prescribing, including recording the rationale for stopping a medicine, cancelling discontinued prescriptions, accurately classifying repeat and acute prescriptions, recording externally requested medicines, and clearly displaying prescription chronology or quantities.
Not included
- Excludes generic deficiencies in basic clinical record keeping that are not specifically tied to medication prescribing.
- Excludes medication administration deficiencies where the prescribing record is not the unsafe control.
- Excludes failures to monitor a named medication hazard when the record-keeping deficiency is not part of the medication prescribing process.
- Excludes generic communication, staffing, training or investigation failures unless they directly concern the reliability of medication prescribing records.
- Reports
- 28
- Individual concerns
- 29
- Date range
- 2014–2025
- Stated actions
- 29
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.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to clearly flag decisions to administer prophylactic anticoagulation in the patient electronic record
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
-
Position
The suggested Smart Zone prompt cannot currently be provided because narrative care plans cannot be pulled into the system, which only flags assessment omissions.
Stated by West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to maintain meaningful records of prescribing consultations and their rationale
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.
-
Concerns raised1
Lack of GP practice records of recent medication prescribing
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.
-
Concerns raised1
Difficulty removing no-longer-needed prescriptions from the medication system
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.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure of the GP practice recording system to accurately distinguish repeat and acute prescriptions
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.
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
-
Action
Educate GPs and pharmacists to review acute, repeat and recently issued medicines during medication reviews.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board -
Action
Require documentation of reasons and review plans when regular long-term medicines are issued acutely.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board -
Action
Require medication reviews to record the medicines and content reviewed, with follow-up appointments when reviews are incomplete.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Position
The EMIS Web system distinguishes acute and repeat medicines and supports comprehensive medication reviews, so medicines need not be placed on repeat lists.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to record clinical presentations, diagnoses, medication-change rationale and attendances
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.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to record changes to medication-taking instructions
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.
-
Concerns raised1
Delays in documenting verbal prescribing orders
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.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to record the quantities of discharge medication issued
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.
-
Concerns raised1
Inadequate recording of medication reviews and reasons for repeat prescribing
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.
Data last updated 7 September 2026