National patient recall framework
Paterson Inquiry · Report of the Independent Inquiry into the Issues raised by Paterson · Issued 4 February 2020 · Addressed to: NHS England
Government responseDepartment of Health and Social Care: Accepted (Dec 2021)
DeliveryDHSC and NHS England say completed (Feb 2026)DHSC states no delivery position (May 2024)Department of Health and Social Care says in progress (Dec 2022)
Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
We recommend that a national framework or protocol, with guidance, is developed about how recall of patients should be managed and communicated. This framework or protocol should specify that the process is centred around the patient’s needs, provide advice on how recall decisions are made, and advise what resource is required and how this might be provided. This should apply to both the independent sector and the NHS.
Paterson Inquiry, Report of the Independent Inquiry into the Issues raised by Paterson · 4 Feb 2020 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
AI-generated evidence summary
The Inquiry recommended creating a national framework to guide NHS and independent sector patient recalls. In commentary of September 2024, published in February 2026, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England stated that the National Quality Board (NQB) published the framework in 2022 to guide patient-centred recall and that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) incorporated it into assessments (DHSC and NHS England, Feb 2026). Earlier, in May 2024, the Thirlwall Inquiry legal team noted that the framework had been published in June 2022 following the government's acceptance of the recommendation in full (The Thirlwall Inquiry legal team, May 2024).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 12 Oct 2026.
Government response
●Department of Health and Social Care · Accepted · 16 Dec 2021
Accept
A national framework has been developed that outlines actions to be taken by organisations in both the NHS and the independent sector in the event of a patient recall. The NQB will own the framework, which will be published in 2022 and periodically updated.
The government accepts this recommendation in full, and recognises the need for a consistent approach and experience of recall for both patients and clinicians.
Extract from: Government response to the independent inquiry report into the issues raised by former surgeon Ian Paterson
Delivery
●DHSC and NHS England say completed · 27 Feb 2026
The National Quality Board (NQB) Recall Framework was published in 2022 to provide guidance on conducting a patient-centred recall process. CQC has incorporated the Recall Framework into its assessment process to ensure it is being used appropriately.
●DHSC states no delivery position · 15 May 2024
Action 6.1
The National Quality Board (NQB) Recall Framework was published in 2022 to provide guidance on conducting a patient-centred recall process. CQC has incorporated the Recall Framework into its assessment process to ensure it is being used appropriately.
From: The Thirlwall Inquiry: Review of Implementation of Recommendations from Previous Inquiries into Healthcare Issues (version of 15 May 2024), The Department of Health and Social Care
●Department of Health and Social Care says in progress · 15 Dec 2022
The new National Patient Recall Framework was published on 1 June 2022. NHSE, CQC and IHPN have signposted relevant organisations to this new guidance.
What other bodies have found
●Thirlwall Inquiry legal team · 15 May 2024
Action 6.1:
Accepted by the government in full.
A national framework has been developed that outlines actions to be taken by organisations in both the NHS and the independent sector in the event of a patient recall.
The National Patient Recall Framework was published in June 2022.
How this page is built
The recommendation and the government responses are verbatim from primary documents. Delivery statements and other bodies' findings are shown in their own words, each with its source. The summary is written by this site and labelled as such. The Index does not paraphrase sources or characterise intent; it records what has been published.