Recurring concern
Incomplete clinical history-taking
- Reports that mention this concern
- 55
- Times this concern has been raised
- 58
- Stated actions linked to this concern
- 96
What this concern includes
Includes failures to obtain a sufficiently complete and relevant patient history during clinical assessment, consultation, admission, clerking or health checks, including failure to elicit relevant information from the patient or appropriate informants.
What is not included
- Excludes failures limited to recording or documenting information that was already obtained, unless the report also identifies incomplete history-taking.
- Excludes failures limited to communicating or handing over an already established history, unless the underlying history was not adequately obtained.
- Excludes deficiencies in treatment, referral, escalation or testing where incomplete history-taking is not itself the recurring unsafe condition.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, 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.
Reports and published responses 55 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
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Concerns raised1
Failure of the admission recording system to make obtaining carer and family information mandatory
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Use an active Care Notes care-planning field to record information sought from carers or family.
-
Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Activate a Care Notes risk-assessment area recording carers’ and family members’ views.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Devon Partnership NHS Trust
A mandatory field for carer and family information will not be added; free-text recording and audit follow-up are considered sufficient.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to provide or obtain up-to-date mental health and care-plan information on hospital admission
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
-
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Implement a Trustwide policy or pathway for proactively gathering complex and vulnerable patients’ up-to-date information from external health providers.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to assess the reliability of negative allergy histories from patients or accompanying persons
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Incomplete history taking
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to establish MRSA history before surgery
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- The Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
-
The Trust
Introduce new admission and transfer documentation to record patient infection status.
-
The Trust
Disseminate the new infection-status documentation through twice-monthly infection-control update sessions.
-
The Trust
Check completion of infection-status documentation during daily patient reviews and provide nursing feedback.
-
The Trust
Amend the surgical safety checklist to verify MRSA status and history with patients and staff before induction and at theatre sign-in.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to obtain and properly consider relevant information from parents
This report raised 11 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
-
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Review the Paediatric IPOC and require documentation of communication needs and disability-related communication limitations.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to obtain a proper treatment and medication history from the patient and primary sources
This report raised 16 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- North East London NHS Foundation Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
-
North East London NHS Foundation Trust
Improve the quality of assessment and treatment plans.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to obtain relevant history and treatment input from private clinicians
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised2
Failure to establish the circumstances leading to police involvement and the identity of the caller
Failure to obtain collateral history from family members before concluding the interview
This report raised 11 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Whittington Health NHS Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
Whittington Health NHS Trust
Develop and finalise Emergency Department guidelines for patients brought by police.
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Whittington Health NHS Trust
Pilot the mental health assessment proforma and make it available to mental health colleagues.
-
Concerns raised1
Prescribing multiple medicines without a sufficiently complete clinical assessment and medication history
This report raised 11 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Data last updated 7 September 2026