Recurring concern

Unreliable emergency-department triage

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First reported 9 May 2014•Latest report 10 Oct 2025

Definition

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.

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.
Reports
16

Distinct published reports

Individual concerns
17

A report can raise multiple concerns

Date range
2014–2025

First to latest report issue date

Stated actions
17

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 Care4
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Local Health Board2
NHS Central East Integrated Care Board2
Barts Health NHS Trust1
Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB1
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust1
Care Quality Commission1
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust1
General Medical Council1
Hereford County Hospital1
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust1
Milton Keynes University Hospital1
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence1
NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board1
NHS England1

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.

  1. Manchester South

    AI-generated summary

    Philip Geoffrey Day · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Philip Geoffrey Day was treated with methotrexate for psoriatic arthritis and developed neutropenic sepsis after blood tests showed neutropenia and a raised CRP. He died in hospital on 15 April 2022 after developing ileitis and colitis, followed by cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure. Concerns included delays in triage, medical review and treatment; inadequate communication of information from community clinicians to hospital staff; and insufficient recognition of neutropenic sepsis risk factors and red flags.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure of triage to prompt for neutropenic sepsis

    Wider context from the report

    “3. The Inquest heard that Mr Day’s first EWS score in ED was 2. He did not trigger on EWS for sepsis. However the blood tests in the community had shown a very low neutrophil level and a rising CRP. Had those factors been recognised along with his immunosuppression then he would have been treated under the neutropenic sepsis pathway earlier. The evidence suggested that there is a lack of awareness of the guidance and red flags for neutropenic sepsis which delays treatment. Greater awareness and triage questions that prompt for neutropenic sepsis would reduce the risk of neutropenic sepsis symptoms being missed at triage. ”

    Source location

    Philip Geoffrey Day · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
  2. South Wales Central

    AI-generated summary

    Darren John Goddard · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Darren John Goddard underwent an elective trans-rectal ultrasound of the prostate and subsequently developed sepsis, becoming acutely unwell and dying on 18 April 2019. The principal concerns included delayed recognition and treatment of sepsis, delays in triage, antibiotics, fluids and critical care, and the information provided about sepsis risks and symptoms following the procedure.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure at triage to escalate referrals for medical review within 10 minutes of admission

    Wider context from the report

    “(4) The failure at triage to escalate this referral to seeing a doctor within 10 mins of admission. ”

    Source location

    Darren John Goddard · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 3 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Provide ongoing Sepsis training on the Sepsis 6 bundle and NEWS documentation, escalation and implementation to medical and nursing staff.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “3. Further training of Triage nursing staff and doctors of the sepsis 6 bundle and”

    Source location

    2020-0060-Response-from-Dr-Hopkins-Redacted
    Page 2 · response
    Published 20 March 2020

    Open published response
  3. West Yorkshire (West)

    AI-generated summary

    Tae’jelle Kaliyah Francois · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Tae’jelle Kaliyah Francois suffered an acute asthma attack that continued despite prescribed medicine. While travelling to hospital and waiting for admission, her condition deteriorated, she collapsed, and she died at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary despite resuscitation. The report raised concerns that she was taken to the Accident and Emergency waiting area without visual assessment by reception or triage staff, and that an opportunity to recognise and escalate her critical condition was missed.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to ensure timely visual assessment and escalation of seriously unwell patients at A&E admission

    Wider context from the report

    “(1) At the point of admission into the Accident and Emergency Department, Tae’jelle was taken into the waiting area without either the Receptionist or the Triage nurse having the opportunity to visually assess her, despite Tae’jelle being in a medically critical state. Tae’jelle was taken into the waiting area of reception, where she stopped breathing. It was only as a result of the intervention of a member of the public that this condition was discovered, and as a result of that involvement Tae’jelle was taken into the Resus Department, where further treatment failed to revive her. (2) Evidence was given at the Inquest as to a Guidance recommended by The Royal College of Emergency Medicine upon dealing with the Emergency Assessment of Emergency patients. Such a Protocol provides for Reception to inform the Triage nurse of suspected seriously unwell patient, with the opportunity of then escalating the treatment of that patient. (3) Evidence was given at the Inquest that this opportunity was missed as neither the receptionist nor the Triage Nurse were provided with the opportunity to make the necessary assessment, despite the fact that the Department was not busy at the time. ”

    Source location

    Tae’jelle Kaliyah Francois · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 1 · concerns

    Open source report
  4. Mid Kent and Medway

    AI-generated summary

    Matthew Crowley · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Matthew Crowley, aged 39, presented to Maidstone Hospital acutely unwell with sepsis and multiple organ failure, and died at Pembury Hospital at 06.47 on 10 June 2015 after transfer. The report identified concerns including delays in triage, senior medical review, treatment escalation, decision-making and transfer, as well as inadequate communication with the receiving ITU.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to operate a Rapid Access Treatment Protocol for timely triage

    Wider context from the report

    “(1) A Rapid Access Treatment Protocol (RATT) was not in operation as a result of a busy A&E department which was short staffed. This resulted in a delay in the triage ”

    Source location

    Matthew Crowley · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
  5. Cardiff & the Vale of Glamorgan

    AI-generated summary

    Thomas George Smith · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Thomas George Smith, aged 13, developed symptoms including headache, neck pain and vomiting before being admitted to hospital, where he later became unresponsive and died after suspected meningitis and raised intracranial pressure. The report identified concerns about delays in recognising and treating meningitis and raised intracranial pressure, communication and handover, responding to nursing concerns, monitoring physiological trends, and the transfer of the patient to hospital.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to prioritise children’s cases appropriately for timely assessment

    Wider context from the report

    “(2) The Coroner noted that it was only by chance that Thomas was seen more quickly than usual (because the case was “modified” and removed from the pool). Given the greater susceptibility of children to deteriorate in health the Coroner would like to see children’s cases be given a greater “weighting” so that they can be seen more quickly than adult cases if these can safely be delayed. ”

    Source location

    Thomas George Smith · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
  6. Bedfordshire and Luton

    AI-generated summary

    Gianni Khan · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Gianni Khan suffered a catastrophic head injury at a birthday party on 21 December 2013 and died at Addenbrooke’s Hospital on 28 December 2013 after his condition deteriorated and he underwent neurosurgery. The principal concern was that, after reporting a head injury at the hospital, he was streamed to an urgent GP clinic rather than being assessed by a doctor in the Emergency Department, with a failure to recognise the seriousness of the injury and lost opportunities for further medical attention.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of full triage before streaming

    Wider context from the report

    “That when Gianni was taken to the A&E Department at the Hospital and reported that he had suffered a head injury he was “streamed” to be seen in the GP Clinic rather than see a Doctor in the Emergency Department. The Consultant from the Department told me, during the course of his evidence, that it would be ‘good practice’ for all suspected head injuries to be referred to the A&E Team. I was also told that the Hospital have always requested a full triage before streaming and the Clinical Commissioning Group refused to allow for such a triage. ”

    Source location

    Gianni Khan · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Review the streaming process and all adult and child streaming protocols, including exclusion criteria and consideration of triage before streaming.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The Urgent Care Strategic Implementation Group will undertake a comprehensive review of the streaming process for both adults and children.”

    Source location

    2014-0219-Response-by-Luton-NHS-Clinical-Commissioning-Group
    Page 3 · response
    Published 9 May 2014

    Open published response
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Data last updated 7 September 2026