Chaotic communication by NHS in England ‘causing treatment delays’

Report says patients’ health is being endangered by problems including referrals going missing and late diagnoses

Chaotic communication by the NHS in England is causing harmful delays to treatment and endangering patient health, according to research.

Widespread communication problems that leave patients and staff scrambling to find their referrals, missing appointments, or receiving late diagnoses have been uncovered in a study by the Demos thinktank, the Patients Association, and the PMA, a professional membership body for healthcare workers.