Allied Health Handover Template: ISBAR and Worked Example
An allied health handover should help the receiving clinician understand why they are involved, what information is current and which actions remain open. A long attachment list cannot do that on its own. A useful handover names the recipient and makes the request visible.
The structure below is for routine documentation and transfer between services. Follow your local handover, privacy and escalation procedures. Do not use a blog template to manage an emergency or replace a required service form.
Contents
Use ISBAR as a structure, not a replacement for judgement
ISBAR stands for Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation. NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation guidance uses it for handover communication. Different services use other structures or variants, so confirm which is expected locally.
The Australian Commission’s Communicating for Safety Standard addresses structured handover and transfer of responsibility. The writing prompts below are our own practical adaptation for routine allied health documentation, not a reproduction of a hospital form.
| Heading | Information to record |
|---|---|
| Identify | Sender and role, intended recipient, participant identifiers appropriate to the secure channel, date and contact details. |
| Situation | Reason for this handover, what is changing and the specific action requested. |
| Background | Relevant goals, service period, participant preferences and essential source documents with dates. |
| Assessment | Current findings, who observed or reported them, limitations and unresolved questions. |
| Recommendation | Agreed next action, owner, timeframe, attachments to review and confirmation needed from the recipient. |
Prepare the record before writing the summary
Start with the question the recipient needs to answer. A transfer to a new treating OT, a request for a speech pathology opinion and an update to an administrator need different information. Do not send the entire file simply because it is available.
Check the dates and status of attached reports. If a newer report supersedes an older recommendation, label the versions so the reader does not act on the wrong one. When two records disagree, identify the disagreement and the source of each account instead of silently choosing one.
Confirm the applicable consent or other lawful basis and the approved recipient and channel before sharing. This template does not determine your privacy obligations. Record the relevant permission and any limits on distribution in your approved system.
Fictional handover example: transfer to another OT
This example is invented for writing practice. It does not describe a real client or prescribe a treatment plan. Replace the structure with actual information, not the example’s details.
Identify: Outgoing OT to receiving OT at the same service. Participant A, identified in the secure clinical record. Handover recorded on 16 October. The outgoing clinician’s work contact is included in that record.
Situation: Participant A is transferring clinicians because the outgoing OT is leaving the service. Please confirm who will contact the participant about the next appointment. No appointment has been represented as booked.
Background: The participant’s stated priority is organising their morning routine. The latest signed session record is attached with its date. The participant has agreed to this internal handover under the service’s documented process.
Assessment: The last session note records use of a written list during a bag-packing task. A family account of the home routine is recorded separately. Independent performance at home was not observed. The receiving clinician should not treat the session result as a conclusion about every setting.
Recommendation: The receiving OT is asked to review the latest signed note and confirm acceptance of the transfer through the service’s process. The intake team will coordinate contact once the responsible clinician is confirmed. The outgoing clinician remains available through the stated work contact for record clarification.
Separate the next action from the attachment list
A request such as “please follow up” leaves ownership unclear. A more useful administrative request names the person or role, the action and the agreed date. If the recipient has not accepted the task, record that state accurately instead of marking the transfer complete.
Keep an action table next to the handover rather than burying it in a narrative. For each open item, record the action, proposed owner, timeframe, dependency and confirmation. A referral sent is not the same as a referral accepted. An appointment requested is not the same as an appointment booked.
Use a contact route that will remain valid after staff leave. This can be a service inbox or the appropriate team contact. Avoid making the handover depend on access to a departing clinician’s personal messages.
Handover, SOAP note or progress report?
A SOAP note records an encounter. A handover selects the information another person needs to take over a responsibility. A progress report describes a reporting period and its outcomes. They can draw on the same records but answer different questions.
For a multidisciplinary case, identify which profession supplied each finding. Do not make a speech pathology opinion look like an OT assessment, or a family update look like a team decision. Link to the original document and date when the full reasoning matters.
Before sending and after receipt
This checklist is a writing aid. The service’s transfer-of-care and escalation procedures still govern what must happen, including how urgent concerns are communicated.
- Confirm the participant and intended recipient before attaching records.
- Check consent or other applicable authority and limits on sharing.
- Put the purpose and action requested near the start.
- Identify the latest relevant record and any superseded versions.
- Keep unresolved questions visible; do not fill gaps with assumptions.
- Use the approved secure channel and retain a record of the handover.
- Confirm receipt and acceptance according to the service’s workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Is this an official ISBAR form?
No. It is Carearoo’s educational writing structure using the ISBAR headings. Follow the official form and process required by your service.
Can I send a progress report instead of a handover?
A progress report may be an attachment, but the recipient still needs the reason for the transfer, the specific request and the agreed responsibilities. Whether a separate form is required depends on the service.
Does sending the email complete the transfer?
Do not assume that it does. Confirm receipt, acceptance and responsibility through the applicable service workflow. A sent message alone does not establish those steps.
How this guide was written
Carearoo editorial guide, prepared with AI assistance and linked primary sources. Not independently clinically reviewed. The example is fictional; this is not an emergency protocol, a mandated form or an official health-service template.
Keep the source records clear
Use encounter notes for the evidence and a separate summary for the handover.