Recurring concern
Unreliable consultant review of patients unexpectedly returning after discharge
- Reports that mention this concern
- 2
- Times this concern has been raised
- 2
- Stated actions linked to this concern
- 3
What this concern includes
Includes failures in arrangements for identifying unexpected returns after discharge and ensuring timely consultant notification, discussion or review, including system design, guidance, staff understanding, communication, documentation and escalation controls directly dedicated to those returns.
What is not included
- Excludes general consultant-review delays or failures where the patient did not unexpectedly return after discharge.
- Excludes generic discharge communication, clinical handover, record-keeping or staffing deficiencies unless they directly impair the consultant-review process for unexpected post-discharge returns.
- Excludes failures in the underlying assessment or treatment of a patient after a consultant has been reliably informed and involved.
- Excludes routine planned follow-up or ordinary readmissions that are not unexpected returns requiring the dedicated consultant-review safeguard.
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 2 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
-
Concerns raised1
Lack of familiarity with guidance requiring consultant discussion of unexpected returns within 72 hours
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- George Eliot Hospital 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
-
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust
Work with Information Technology to add a 72-hour reattendance alert requiring consultant advice before discharge.
-
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust
Audit patients reattending within 72 hours for consultant referral before discharge and share the findings within UEC and at Trust-wide Audit Day.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust
Overseas-qualified doctors undergo Royal College accreditation, including assessment of familiarity with relevant guidance, on the same basis as UK-trained doctors.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure immediate informing of consultants about patients who reattend unexpectedly after discharge
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Spire Bristol Hospital
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
-
Spire Bristol Hospital
Update the Admission and Discharge policy to require assessment, consultant notification, documented follow-up and incident tracking for unexpected post-discharge re-attendances.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Spire Bristol Hospital
Existing admission and discharge procedures provided a formal process for managing patients who contacted or re-attended after discharge.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Data last updated 7 September 2026