PFD report

Aimee Sarah VARNEY · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 2 Jun 2014•Bedfordshire and Luton

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

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Concerns
1

Raised in this report

Recipients
2

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 2 recipients

Stated actions
0

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised1

  1. Failure to follow NICE referral guidelines for patients with suspected epilepsy to a Specialist Tertiary Centre
    Part of recurring concern: Unreliable referrals to tertiary specialist services
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Respondent positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when it does not describe a specific action.2

  1. Position

    Existing systems for logging, disseminating and monitoring NICE guidelines are considered appropriate.

    Stated by Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Failure to follow NICE referral guidelines for patients with suspected epilepsy to a Specialist Tertiary Centre

Wider context from the report

“1. That the NICE Guidelines for referring a patient with suspected epilepsy to a Specialist Tertiary Centre were not followed. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Unreliable referrals to tertiary specialist services.

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Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Existing systems for logging, disseminating and monitoring NICE guidelines are considered appropriate.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Medical Director is responsible for ensuring every new NICE guideline is allocated to the relevant speciality. The appropriate Clinical Audit and Effectiveness Committee (CAEC) Lead, the Finance and the Clinical Director all receive copies for discussion and dissemination. As for all NHS bodies there are occasions where the hospital cannot immediately comply with NICE guidance. This can be due to resources and requires negotiation with our commissioners to fund, for example, high value new drug therapies.”

Source location

2014-0249-Response-by-Luton-Dunstable-University-Hospital
Page 1 · response
Published 2 June 2014

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Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

NICE guidelines do not require rigid compliance; clinicians may appropriately depart from recommendations using professional clinical judgment.

Verbatim wording from the response

“However it must be emphasised that they are guidelines, not tramlines that the treating clinician must rigidly follow. NICE state “...health and social care professionals are actively encouraged to follow our recommendations to help them deliver the highest quality care. Of course, our recommendations are not intended to replace the professional expertise and clinical judgement of health professionals, as they discuss treatment options with their patients.” There will be individual patients where the treating clinician uses their own judgement and does not follow the absolute guidance.”

Source location

2014-0249-Response-by-Luton-Dunstable-University-Hospital
Page 2 · response
Published 2 June 2014

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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026