This document:
• provides guidance to doctors on best practice in handover
• provides examples of good models of handover from which doctors and hospital
managers can learn
Continuity of information is vital to the safety of our patients. With the changes in doctors’
working hours and increasing demand for flexible work practices (e.g. part-time work) – both
of which inevitably increase the number of individuals caring for each patient – the need for
comprehensive handover of clinical information is more important than ever.
Good handover does not happen by chance. It requires work by all those involved, including
organisations and individuals, and in some cases a change in culture. To acheive this:
• shifts must cross-over
• adequate dedicated time must be allowed
• handover should have clear leadership
• adequate information technology support must be provided
• support for the handover process must come from all levels of the medical team
Sufficient and relevant information should be exchanged to ensure patient safety so that:
• the clinically unstable patients are known to the senior and covering clinicians
• junior members of the team are adequately briefed on concerns from previous shifts
• tasks not yet completed are clearly understood by the incoming team
Handover is of little value unless action is taken as a result and:
• tasks are prioritised
• plans for further care are put into place
• unstable patients are reviewed in a timely manner
Lastly, a visit to hospital is only one part of a patient’s total health care. The safe transfer of
patient care requires effective handover between hospital and community.