Recurring concern
Unreliable interagency sharing of safeguarding risk information
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Request correctionFirst reported 18 Dec 2013•Latest report 3 Sep 2025
What this concern includes
Includes failures of the interagency safeguarding-information-sharing process, including obtaining relevant information, securing or recording appropriate consent for disclosure, communicating risk information across agencies, and ensuring that receiving agencies obtain complete and accurate information.
Not included
- Excludes generic communication or information-management failures not materially connected to safeguarding risk information or interagency care.
- Excludes failures confined to disclosure to a court, coroner or other legal inquiry rather than safeguarding or care coordination.
- Excludes failures in making safeguarding referrals where the concern is the referral decision itself rather than the sharing of information between agencies.
- Excludes clinical assessment, care ownership or discharge failures unless the unsafe condition is specifically the failure to share relevant safeguarding risk information between agencies.
- Reports
- 23
- Individual concerns
- 26
- Date range
- 2013–2025
- Stated actions
- 45
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
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.
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.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of information sharing between agencies
This report raised 10 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
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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Position
Confidential patient information cannot be shared without satisfying data protection law, public interest requirements and the Common Law Duty of Confidentiality case by case.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
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Position
The Home Office and Department of Health and Social Care hold responsibility for the majority of concerns and lead related recommendations.
Stated by Ministry of Justice
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Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure accurate and complete cross-organisation safeguarding communications
This report raised 16 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach 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.5
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Action
Conduct an independent external Lessons Learned Review of safeguarding and conduct handling, including information management, risk assessment, casework and inter-church sharing.
Stated by Diocese of London and Lambeth Palace -
Action
Design and implement improved systems for capturing, triaging, recording, assessing and appropriately sharing safeguarding and conduct information.
Stated by Diocese of London and Lambeth Palace -
Action
Deliver safeguarding-specific GDPR training and strengthen recording, auditing and lawful, proportionate information-sharing practice.
Stated by Diocese of London and Lambeth Palace
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Action
Implement formal information-sharing protocols and agreements for safeguarding information with relevant statutory, faith and partner organisations.
Stated by Diocese of London and Lambeth Palace -
Action
Collaborate with the Church of England to create and implement information-sharing and unresolved-concern escalation processes.
Stated by CSSA
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Concerns raised1
Poor information sharing and joint risk recognition across statutory agencies
This report raised 21 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach 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.2
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Action
Conduct district safeguarding-team deep-dive reviews and circulate domestic abuse, child-protection and adults-at-risk triage expectations.
Stated by Greater Manchester Police -
Action
Establish a specific safeguarding-team triage training course incorporating information-sharing guidance.
Stated by Greater Manchester Police
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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Position
Other named respondents are responsible for addressing the coroner’s concerns; this response covers only broader learning-sharing issues within its remit.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
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Concerns raised1
Failure to appropriately share targeted ViST data about vulnerable individuals with partner agencies
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 concernsEach 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.4
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Action
Review the Central Safeguarding Team’s adult GP-referral process and feedback loop with NHS Kernow.
Stated by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Devon & Cornwall Police and NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board -
Action
Operate a Central Safeguarding Team trigger process identifying escalating adult risk and prompting focused GP letters.
Stated by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Devon & Cornwall Police and NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board -
Action
Consult local GPs on the draft focused letter used after the escalating-risk trigger process.
Stated by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Devon & Cornwall Police and NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board
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Action
Produce guidance notes accompanying the focused GP letter.
Stated by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Devon & Cornwall Police and NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board
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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Position
All ViSTs cannot be sent to GPs because the resulting volume could overwhelm practices and cause higher-risk referrals to be overlooked.
Stated by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Devon & Cornwall Police and NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board
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Concerns raised3
Failure to obtain consent for disclosure of safeguarding information to other agencies
Lack of a system for sharing safeguarding information with care homes
Information-sharing arrangements failing when a person is not admitted from a registered facility
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 concernsEach 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
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Action
Contact receiving care homes immediately when residents consider residential care and share all available information by telephone and follow-up letter.
Stated by The Limes Residents Association Limited
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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Position
GP confidentiality means the suitability information received about prospective residents is very limited.
Stated by The Limes Residents Association Limited
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Concerns raised1
Failure to share safeguarding referral information and reasons with relevant third parties, services or agencies
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 concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one 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 share Child and Family Assessments in accordance with best practice
This report raised 14 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one 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 provide sufficient details about safeguarding concerns and health care matters
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 concernsEach 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.5
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Action
Participate in a monthly Senior Safeguarding Working Group reviewing safeguarding cases and information gaps.
Stated by G4S Care And Justice Services (UK) Limited -
Action
Require fuller vulnerability details, record them on CID and referral forms, and check CID more thoroughly before onward referral.
Stated by Home Office -
Action
Check that referring officers identify and record relevant safeguarding and vulnerability concerns on referral forms.
Stated by Home Office
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Action
Raise safeguarding concerns with G4S when SCF forms lack adequate detail.
Stated by Urban Housing Services -
Action
Draft and distribute incident reports and support notifications when resident concerns, including mental-health issues, are identified.
Stated by Urban Housing Services
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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Position
Information shared with external contractors is limited by GDPR to data shown to be required, relevant, secure and in the applicant’s best interests.
Stated by Home Office
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Concerns raised1
Failure of the CDLO to liaise with the local police unit and discuss safeguarding implications
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 concernsEach 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
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Action
Implement the Controlled Drugs Regulations establishing tighter controls and mandatory governance arrangements for prescribing, records, custody, monitoring and accountable officers.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
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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Position
Concerns about police responses and national learning should be raised with the Home Secretary because Controlled Drug Liaison Officers are police employees.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
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Concerns raised1
Limited information sharing between adult safeguarding board members
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 concernsEach 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
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Action
Update TARGet meeting terms of reference to strengthen safeguarding-partner information sharing and multi-agency risk assessment and management planning.
Stated by Trafford Safeguarding Board
Data last updated 7 September 2026