Missed and late visits checklist

Source anchors

How to use this checklist

Use this checklist to audit whether the service can evidence safe planning, monitoring and response for late, missed and no-access visits.

For each row, record:

Met: evidence is current and complete.
Part met: evidence exists but has a gap or needs follow-up.
Not met: evidence is absent or the control is not working.
Not applicable: the item does not apply to this service or package.

Every Part met or Not met item should create an action with an owner and due date.

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Service details

Field	Local entry
Service name
Location or branch
Date completed
Completed by
Registered Manager
Period reviewed
Number of visits sampled
Number of late visits sampled
Number of missed visits sampled
Number of no-access events sampled

1. Definitions and risk coding

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
The service defines late visit, missed visit and no-access event.	Policy, procedure, staff guidance.
Agreed visit windows are clear and used consistently.	Care plans, contracts, rota rules.
Critical visits are defined.	Policy, care-plan template, rota marker.
Critical visits are visible on the rota or monitoring system.	Rota, electronic call monitoring, visit records.
Care plans identify time-critical medicines, meals, fluids, continence, pressure care and welfare checks where relevant.	Care plans, risk assessments.

2. Rota planning

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Rounds include realistic travel time.	Rota, route plan, actual travel variance.
Visit length matches the person's assessed needs.	Care plan, rota, visit notes.
Double-up visits are scheduled with both workers.	Rota, care plan, visit record.
Staff assigned have the competence needed for the visit.	Training matrix, care plan, rota.
Continuity needs are considered where possible.	Rota history, care plan, feedback.
Cover arrangements exist for sickness, travel delay and emergency changes.	On-call plan, contingency rota.

3. Live monitoring

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Visit start and finish times are recorded.	Electronic call monitoring, app record, call log.
No-start alerts are generated or manually monitored.	Monitoring system, office log.
Alerts are reviewed by the office or on-call lead.	Alert log, call notes.
Late visits are not discovered only through complaints.	Monitoring record, complaint comparison.
Shortened visits are reviewed where they may affect care.	Visit duration report, care notes.
Out-of-hours monitoring is controlled.	On-call records, escalation logs.

4. Late visit response

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
The worker contacts the office or on-call lead when delayed.	Call log, message record, supervision note.
The office checks whether the visit is critical.	Visit record, care plan, monitoring note.
Another worker is considered where risk requires it.	Rota adjustment, call note, decision record.
The person is contacted and updated.	Call note, visit record.
Representative or family contact follows the person's preferences.	Care plan, contact log.
Safety risk is recorded, not only the revised arrival time.	Late visit record, incident record.

5. Missed visit response

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Missed visits are recorded as missed visits, not hidden as cancelled visits.	Rota history, visit record, audit trail.
Immediate risk assessment is recorded.	Missed visit record, incident record.
Critical needs are addressed through cover or alternative arrangements.	Cover record, call note, care note.
Medicines, nutrition, hydration, personal care and welfare impact are considered.	Risk assessment, care plan, incident record.
The person and agreed representative are told what happened.	Contact log.
Commissioner or contract reporting is considered where relevant.	Contract report, decision note.
Incident, safeguarding, complaint or CQC notification routes are considered where relevant.	Incident record, safeguarding log, governance note.

6. No-access events

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Worker follows the agreed no-access procedure.	Visit note, no-access record.
The worker tries agreed contact methods.	Call log, app record.
Office or on-call lead is contacted.	Call log, no-access note.
Key safe, keyholder or representative route is used where agreed.	Care plan, access record.
Safety concern is assessed and escalated where needed.	Risk note, emergency-services log, safeguarding decision.
No-access events are reviewed for repeated patterns.	Governance review, risk register.

7. Records and evidence quality

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Reason for lateness or missed visit is specific.	Visit exception record.
Contact attempts are timed and named.	Call log, message record.
Immediate outcome is recorded.	Visit note, incident record.
Action taken is linked to the person affected.	Action log, care plan update.
Care plan is updated if the pattern shows needs have changed.	Care plan review, governance note.
Records distinguish provider failure from person-cancelled or no-access events.	Rota record, cancellation note.

8. Governance and learning

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Late and missed visit data is reviewed at a stated cadence.	Governance minutes, dashboard, audit.
Review looks at patterns by person, worker, round, time and location.	Trend report, governance notes.
Repeated late visits create an action or risk decision.	Action log, risk register.
Root causes are identified, not only individual events.	Investigation note, governance review.
Actions have owner, due date and completion evidence.	Improvement action log.
Staff receive learning where the pattern indicates training or behaviour issues.	Team briefing, supervision, training record.

9. Staff training and supervision

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Care workers understand how to report delay.	Induction, supervision, staff interview.
Office and on-call staff know how to triage critical visits.	Training record, procedure, scenario test.
Staff understand no-access escalation.	Training record, staff interview.
Supervision discusses repeated lateness or documentation gaps.	Supervision notes.
Scheduling staff understand realistic travel-time planning.	Training record, rota audit.

10. Summary judgement

Question	Answer
Is the service seeing late and missed visits quickly enough?
Are critical visits protected?
Are people and representatives being updated properly?
Are commissioner, safeguarding and notification decisions being recorded?
Are repeated patterns visible in governance?
Does the Registered Manager need to review this immediately?

11. Action log

Action	Source check	Owner	Due date	Completion evidence

12. Completion

Sign-off	Name	Date
Completed by
Reviewed by Registered Manager

This checklist is a working tool. It does not replace professional judgement, local safeguarding procedures, commissioner reporting terms, live regulator guidance or the service's own governance decision.