Recurring concern
Unreliable emergency-department triage
- Reports that mention this concern
- 16
- Times this concern has been raised
- 17
- Stated actions linked to this concern
- 17
What this concern includes
Includes failures of the emergency-department triage process, including adoption and application of the triage system, triage procedures, recognition of clinically significant symptoms or relevant history, prioritisation and escalation, where the deficiency directly affects safe emergency-department triage.
What is not included
- Excludes failures of the specifically named Manchester Triage System, which is tracked as a separate concern.
- Excludes ambulance call triage, GP appointment triage and other non-emergency-department triage processes.
- Excludes generic emergency-department crowding, staffing or capacity deficiencies unless they directly result in an unsafe emergency-department triage failure.
- Excludes downstream assessment, treatment or communication failures after triage where triage itself was not deficient.
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 16 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
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Concerns raised1
Lack of standard operating practice and training to ensure recent surgery is considered in Emergency Department triage
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.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to prioritise and place seriously ill pre-alerted patients in Resus on arrival
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- York and Scarborough 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
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York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Operate the new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre with four resuscitation rooms and an expanded five-bay First Assessment area.
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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York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Treatment in the First Assessment area was a reasonable alternative because airway management was not required on arrival.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to provide timely medical triage of Majors patients at risk of clinical decline
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Barts 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.3
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Barts Health NHS Trust
Improve initial self-presenting patient assessment through a quality improvement project, assessment pathways and nursing education.
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Barts Health NHS Trust
Use electronic vital-sign frequency and red-heart alerts to prompt repeat observations and urgent attention.
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Barts Health NHS Trust
Use customised acuity flags to prioritise patients with specified clinical, infectious, vulnerability or mental-health risks.
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Concerns raised1
Delays in emergency department triage
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- UHSx
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
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UHSx
Provide triage support during periods of high demand.
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UHSx
Implement direct handover of police-conveyed patients to Trust staff.
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UHSx
Revise and implement the Trust-wide Missing Persons policy, including risk assessment, detention, communication, escalation and post-departure procedures.
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UHSx
Review and update emergency-department triage, mental-health liaison, observation and communication documentation with partner clinicians.
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UHSx
Introduce daytime emergency-department front-door streaming by placing a nurse in reception for immediate assessment and patient redirection.
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Concerns raised1
Delays in triage of ill babies in Paediatric ED
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Sherwood Forest 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
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Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Review and circulate the Children and Young People escalation tool, including triage-time triggers and required escalation actions.
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Concerns raised2
Failure to record triage of ambulance arrivals at the Emergency Department
Ineffective triage of ambulance arrivals at the Emergency Department
This report raised 10 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB
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
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Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB
Use the Manchester Triage Tool and electronic Symphony records for ambulance handovers and triage decisions.
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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Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB
Existing Manchester Triage, continuous nursing cover, senior ambulance triage and electronic recording address emergency department triage concerns.
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Concerns raised1
Inability of emergency departments to triage patients during OPEL 4 pressures
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
- Department of Health and Social Care
- NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board
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
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NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board
Increase the number of Emergency Department senior decision makers to enable timely patient assessment and treatment.
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NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board
Increase the Emergency Department nursing workforce to ensure safe staffing levels.
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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Department of Health and Social Care
Specific local actions addressing the concerns are the responsibility of Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to accurately transcribe communications received at emergency department triage
This report raised 6 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.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to consistently adopt an appropriate triage system in Accident and Emergency
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Wye Valley 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
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Wye Valley NHS Trust
Review the Emergency Department triage and escalation policy.
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Wye Valley NHS Trust
Submit the reviewed triage and escalation policy.
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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Wye Valley NHS Trust
Existing clinical streaming, Manchester Triage, electronic tracking and Band 6 oversight are relied on as safeguards for Emergency Department triage.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of DGH Emergency Department protocols and staff awareness for recognising potential silver trauma cases at arrival
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
- Department of Health and Social Care
- NHS England
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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Department of Health and Social Care
NHSE and local integrated care bodies are responsible for addressing the concerns about treatment at Wythenshawe Hospital.
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NHS England
Greater Manchester Integrated Care provides the relevant services, while its Integrated Care Board decides commissioned health services.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Data last updated 7 September 2026