Unreliable handover of care information and responsibility
First to latest report 17 Jan 2014 — 26 Jun 2026
Reports that mention this concern
45
Times this concern has been raised
48
Stated actions linked to this concern
77
What this concern includes
Includes failures in the dedicated handover process for care information or responsibility, including absent or unclear procedures, incomplete or unauditable handover records, failure to transfer relevant information, and unclear or uncompleted handovers between care staff, managers, coordinators or successor services.
What is not included
Excludes clinical handovers between healthcare professionals where the existing clinical-handover concern is the more specific supported boundary.
Excludes failures of discharge, inter-service transfer or general continuity processes where no care-handover deficiency is identified.
Excludes generic communication, staffing, documentation or training deficiencies unless they directly impair the transfer of care information or responsibility during handover.
Excludes non-care operational handovers, such as fire-and-rescue incident roles or general workplace shifts, unless the assertion concerns transfer of responsibility for care.
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.
Department of Health and Social Care3
Care Quality Commission2
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust2
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust2
HM Prison and Probation Service2
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence2
Son of the deceased2
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust2
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust2
Arden Court1
Bank Close House1
Barts Health NHS Trust1
Bedford Prison1
Belle Green Court1
Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB1
NHS trust28
Private limited company6
Healthcare site4
Prison or young offender institution4
Type not available4
Domiciliary care provider3
Executive non-departmental public body3
Ministerial department3
Nursing home3
Executive agency2
Health and social care service regulator2
Independent healthcare provider2
Local health board2
Residential care home2
Community interest company1
Reports and published responses 45 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
East Riding and Hull
Concerns raised1
Failure to provide handover information between care shifts
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Care Quality Commission
Westfield Residential Home
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
Westfield Residential Home
Replace the paper diary with a structured handover process providing staff with shared resident information.
Care Quality Commission
Conduct an unannounced inspection assessing record keeping, falls management and staff handover processes.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Care Quality Commission
No regulatory action is currently required because inspection found no ongoing risk issues relating to the concerns.
No action considered necessaryThe respondent said that no further action was needed.
Care Quality Commission
Inspection evidence identified no concerns with handover processes between staff.
Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Failure to complete handovers between ACCT staff
This report raised 11 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
Practice Plus Group
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Practice Plus Group
Responsibility for the concerns about HMPPS and HMP Pentonville rests with separate organisations, so no response is proposed.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
West Sussex, Brighton and Hove
Concerns raised1
Failure to provide complete current medication and stop-date information during care handover
This report raised 7 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Coastal Homecare (Hove) Ltd.
Sussex Community 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.7
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
Strengthen escalation pathways by referring complex medicines-reconciliation issues to senior clinicians and SCFT pharmacy support.
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
Provide staff with Plexus shared-care-record access for real-time GP medication summaries.
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
Revise and implement UCR referral documentation to require receiving agencies to reconcile medicines with prescribers and pharmacies and clarify that UCR MAR charts are for SCFT staff only.
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
Strengthen referral-pathway expectations that medicines reconciliation is confirmed when care responsibility transfers.
Coastal Homecare (Hove) Ltd.
Require staff to cross-check medicines against prescribing records, administration records, and referral documentation during handover.
Coastal Homecare (Hove) Ltd.
Integrate GP Connect into the digital platform and current practice to verify medicines and identify recent changes.
Coastal Homecare (Hove) Ltd.
Record each person’s dispensing pharmacy and require escalation to relevant healthcare professionals when medication discrepancies or uncertainties arise.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
Receiving care agencies are responsible for medicines reconciliation with prescribers and pharmacies; SCFT MAR charts are not definitive records for external providers.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Dorset
Concerns raised1
Lack of written local guidance for undertaking and recording handovers
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
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
Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust
Develop and take SBAR-based inpatient handover guidance through internal governance.
Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust
Scope handover processes across all mental health inpatient units by June 2026 to identify required changes.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
Detailed handover guidance for every healthcare facility would be impractical for a central organisation and unsuitable for differing local contexts.
Unable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
DHUFT is responsible for addressing the lack of written local handover guidance or policy.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Coventry
Concerns raised1
Failure to pass important risk information to the Home Treatment Team
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
NHS Coventry and Warwickshire 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
NHS Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Revise the internal-transfer SOP to clarify handover dates, care-package ownership and joint handover meetings.
NHS Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Audit internal transfers after SOP ratification to assess compliance and identify further improvement opportunities.
Derby and Derbyshire
Concerns raised1
Failure to conduct formal handovers between shifts
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
Bank Close House
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
Bank Close House
Strengthen documentation requirements so verbal handover information is consistently and accurately recorded.
Bedfordshire and Luton
Concerns raised1
Failure to communicate relevant risk information through handovers and records
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
HM Prison and Probation Service
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
HM Prison and Probation Service
Strengthen shift handovers through clearer risk-information sharing expectations and allocated time for comprehensive handovers.
West Yorkshire Eastern
Concerns raised1
Lack of a formal system for communication, information sharing and handover between the respite facility and the Intensive Support Service
Linked responses
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Leeds Survivor-Led Crisis Service
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.8
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Survivor-Led Crisis Service
Use a standardised daily handover template to capture clinical information, reviews, tasks, incidents, MDT comments and required follow-up.
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Survivor-Led Crisis Service
Hold a daily Oasis–CRISS huddle to discuss handover information and address immediate actions and queries.
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Survivor-Led Crisis Service
Ensure CRISS shift coordinators bring Oasis handover information to each locality’s daily multidisciplinary team meeting.
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Survivor-Led Crisis Service
Record handover details and required actions in Oasis’s own system.
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Survivor-Led Crisis Service
Add Oasis handover notes, MDT discussions and required actions to LYPFT care records.
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Survivor-Led Crisis Service
Provide training on the handover sheet, including each organisation’s roles and responsibilities.
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Survivor-Led Crisis Service
Monitor handover-process compliance and effectiveness through audits and feedback mechanisms.
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Survivor-Led Crisis Service
Explore Oasis staff access to LYPFT’s electronic patient record and discuss the proposal through the operations meeting.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Survivor-Led Crisis Service
Existing referral, admission, joint review, interface, operations and governance processes provide formal communication and risk-management arrangements.
Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
South Yorkshire (Eastern)
Concerns raised1
Failure to maintain adequate discharge handover information
This report raised 3 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.2
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Operate a Trust-wide action group to improve discharge processes and report to the Patient Safety Review Group.
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Operate a Trust-wide action group to drive discharge-process quality improvement and report to the Patient Safety Review Group.
Worcestershire
Concerns raised1
Absence of a formal, documented handover system between hospital and Neighbourhood Team
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals 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
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Develop a handover form containing wound-care advice drawn from electronic patient-record and Tissue Viability records.
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Send the wound-care handover form home with discharged patients for sharing with professionals providing care at home.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.