Recurring concern
Unreliable patient contact during urgent recall and follow-up
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Request correctionFirst reported 7 Mar 2018•Latest report 11 Jan 2023
What this concern includes
Includes failures in urgent patient contact and recall processes, including maintaining usable contact details, attempting available contact routes, using accurate and understandable communications, contacting relevant care providers where needed to support recall, and making further direct attempts or escalating when the patient cannot be reached.
Not included
- Excludes routine appointment reminders and ordinary follow-up communication where no urgent recall, deterioration or safety concern is identified.
- Excludes failures to provide treatment, assessment or emergency response after the patient has been successfully contacted.
- Excludes generic GP communication, referral or record-transfer deficiencies where urgent patient recall or follow-up contact is not the unsafe condition.
- Excludes failures involving product recalls, police missing-person responses or other non-patient recall processes.
- Reports
- 3
- Individual concerns
- 3
- Date range
- 2018–2023
- Stated actions
- 2
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
Failure to make adequate efforts to establish contact when a patient cannot be reached
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.1
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Action
Finalize, consult on and submit the Disengagement and Did Not Attend policy for ratification.
Stated by Aneurin Bevan University LHB
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Concerns raised1
Failure of the contact and recall process to communicate effectively with the patient or GP
This report raised 4 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 attempt patient contact through all available contact phone numbers in urgent and emergency situations
This report raised 7 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
Amend Appendix 1 guidance to require appropriate callback messages and alternative contact attempts in urgent or emergency situations while protecting patient confidentiality.
Stated by St George'S University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Data last updated 7 September 2026