First reported 2 Apr 2024•Latest report 6 Mar 2026
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures in communication between cardiology teams and other clinicians or hospital teams involved in patient care, including communicating clinical findings, seeking or providing cardiology advice, and ensuring relevant information reaches the responsible cardiology or treating team.
Not included
Excludes general clinical communication or inter-specialty communication failures where cardiology is not a material part of the asserted concern.
Excludes cardiology referral, appointment, test-access or specialist-review failures where communication with cardiology is not itself the unsafe condition.
Excludes failures to act on cardiology advice or findings after they have been reliably communicated.
Excludes generic staffing, training, documentation or service-capacity deficiencies unless they directly impair communication with cardiology teams.
Reports
4
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
4
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2024–2026
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
11
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.
Cardiff & Vale University LHB1
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital1
Great Ormond Street Hospital1
NHS England1
the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust1
the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust1
NHS trust2
Executive non-departmental public body1
Healthcare site1
Local health board1
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.
Gwent
Concerns raised1
Inadequate communication of clinical findings to the Cardiology team
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each 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.3
Action
Circulate guidance on when and how physiologists should escalate patients to a cardiologist.
Stated by Cardiff & Vale University LHBStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 10 March 2026.
Action
Develop specific Cardiac Physiology inboxes within the existing e-Advice system.
Stated by Cardiff & Vale University LHBStatus unclearThe respondent did not make the status of this action clear when they made their response on 10 March 2026.
Action
Establish audits of notes-standard compliance and e-Advice usage and response times.
Stated by Cardiff & Vale University LHBStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 10 March 2026.
Inner West London
Concerns raised1
Failure of on-call paediatric cardiology communication between team members and hospital teams seeking advice
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 concerns
Each 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
Action
Maintain two daytime resident cardiology doctors to separate incoming external calls from follow-up communication and advice.
Stated by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 January 2026.
Action
Reinforce cardiac referral pathways, cardiology advice processes and early care planning through neonatal induction for new and locum consultants.
Stated by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 26 January 2026.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
Referring trusts are responsible for understanding and applying cardiology advice and documenting it in their own records.
Stated by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation TrustRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
GOSH is responsible for addressing communication concerns within its paediatric cardiology team.
Stated by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
Concerns raised1
Failure of document exchange and communication between gastroenterology and cardiology teams
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 concerns
Each 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
Action
Conduct a Patient Safety Incident Investigation into inpatient-to-outpatient referral risks and identify the safest referral system.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 19 December 2025.
Action
Require each inpatient specialty to document and share a standard operating procedure defining referral processes, responsibilities and safety-netting.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 19 December 2025.
Action
Establish a single outpatient-referral email for each specialty, with referrals managed through standard triage and follow-up processes.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 19 December 2025.
Action
Raise a project feasibility request to assess a digital referral-management solution for scoping and potential inclusion on the Trust’s digital roadmap.
Stated by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 19 December 2025.
Action
Develop and roll out the national Frontline Digitisation Programme, including electronic-record deployment guidance and support for safe implementation.
Stated by NHS EnglandStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 19 December 2025.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
The concerns fall outside NHS England’s role and remit as a commissioner of certain healthcare services.
Stated by NHS EnglandOutside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
Position
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust is responsible for addressing the concerns raised in the report.
Stated by NHS EnglandRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
South Yorkshire (Eastern)
Concerns raised1
Lack of communication between services for wound management
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 concerns
Each 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
Action
Communicate Tissue Viability Nurse referral criteria and raise awareness of the service across the Trust through collaborative Quality Governance work.
Stated by the Rotherham NHS Foundation TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 4 April 2024.