What is Duty of Candour?
Duty of Candour is an important rule in healthcare that means we must always be honest and open with patients, especially when something goes wrong with their care.
If a patient is harmed or there is a mistake, we must:
- Tell the patient what happened as soon as possible.
- Apologise and explain the situation clearly.
- Offer support and let them know what will be done to help.
- Learn from mistakes to make sure they don’t happen again.
This helps to build trust and ensures that patients always receive safe, honest, and high-quality care.
Here is a relevant leaflet for more information: Duty of Candour Leaflet