First reported 13 Dec 2013•Latest report 24 Nov 2025
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes delays or unreliable operation of the end-to-end hospital admission process, including emergency-department handover, patient flow, bed availability, escalation or active management, when these directly prevent or delay admission.
Not included
Excludes delays in a specific treatment or procedure after admission unless they are themselves part of the admission process.
Excludes deficiencies in admission documentation, assessment, communication or review when they do not directly concern whether admission is provided promptly.
Excludes generic staffing, resource or policy deficiencies that are not directly tied to unsafe delay or failure in hospital admission.
Excludes delays or failures in non-hospital placements unless they directly determine whether required hospital admission is provided.
Reports
47
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
53
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2013–2025
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
176
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 Care23
Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB10
Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust9
NHS England8
Care Quality Commission3
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership3
Welsh Government3
Ysbyty Gwynedd3
Conwy County Borough Council2
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Local Health Board2
Denbighshire County Council2
Flintshire County Council2
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust2
Health Services Safety Investigations Body2
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board2
Ministerial department23
NHS trust19
Local health board13
Executive non-departmental public body10
Healthcare site8
Health-system partnership5
Integrated care board4
Devolved government3
Health and social care service regulator3
Private limited company3
Devolved legislature2
Welsh county borough council2
Welsh county council2
Coronial office1
Education sector 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.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Delays in getting patients into A and E departments
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.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan
Concerns raised1
Failure to admit patients with head injuries treated with warfarin to hospital forthwith
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 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.3
Action
Develop a Patient Safety Notice raising awareness of NICE head-injury guidance for local health boards and general practices.
Stated by Welsh GovernmentStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 29 January 2015.
Action
Issue the Patient Safety Notice to all local health boards and general practices in Wales.
Stated by Welsh GovernmentStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 29 January 2015.
Action
Monitor compliance with the Patient Safety Notice after circulation.
Stated by Welsh GovernmentStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 29 January 2015.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Failure to immediately admit children when meningitis is a realistic possibility
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.3
Action
Implement NICE feverish-illness guidance in the out-of-hours service using PEWS and assessment templates.
Stated by North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 16 December 2014.
Action
Conduct quarterly clinical audits of practitioners’ records and provide supervision and competency action plans where practice falls short.
Stated by North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 16 December 2014.
Action
Provide training on managing severely ill children for out-of-hours GPs alongside mandatory and statutory training.
Stated by North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 16 December 2014.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Failure to secure timely inpatient admission when no NHS bed is available
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
Clarify and disseminate the bed management policy, emphasising admission offers regardless of Mental Health Act status.
Stated by North London NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 24 November 2014.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
A private bed was not considered necessary because Trust bed availability was changing and a bed was expected within the required timeframe.
Stated by North London NHS Foundation TrustNo action considered necessaryThe respondent said that no further action was needed.
Surrey
Concerns raised1
Lack of active management to expedite physician review and ITU admission
This report raised 18 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.
Cumbria (North & West)
Concerns raised1
Delays in admission to hospital
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.
Manchester City
Concerns raised1
Delays in admission to an appropriate mental health bed
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.
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
Action
Maintain the changed inpatient-bed access process, under which service users requiring admission do not have a waiting list.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 December 2013.
Action
Operate daily bed-management calls, weekly delayed-discharge teleconferences and weekly mental-health inpatient-capacity meetings with relevant partners.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 December 2013.
Action
Purchase additional inpatient capacity in neighbouring NHS facilities and through the charitable sector.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 December 2013.
Action
Monitor out-of-area placements and bed availability daily and weekly to support rapid allocation or repatriation and prevent unnecessary waiting.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 December 2013.
Action
Review and maintain the escalation protocol enabling use of private-sector beds when Trust capacity is unavailable.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 December 2013.
Action
Implement the inpatient capacity management plan to improve patient experience, bed flow and joint working across stakeholder organisations.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 December 2013.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.4
Position
Acute beds should already be available without waiting for patients clinically deemed to need them.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Position
The Trust disputes that inpatient bed availability creates a local waiting-list risk, stating that its revised access arrangements left no service users awaiting admission.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation TrustDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
Decisions about admitting and discharging mental health patients rest with the provider NHS Trust, not the commissioning organisation.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
Existing escalation, monitoring and capacity-management arrangements are considered appropriate and robust for managing inpatient bed availability and out-of-area placements.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
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Includes delays or unreliable operation of the end-to-end hospital admission process, including emergency-department handover, patient flow, bed availability, escalation or active management, when these directly prevent or delay admission.
