The organisational duty of candour procedure is a legal duty which sets out how organisations should tell those affected that an unintended or unexpected incident appears to have caused harm or death. They are required to apologise and to meaningfully involve them in a review of what happened.
When the review is complete, the organisation should agree any actions required to improve the quality of care, informed by the principles of learning and continuous improvement.
They should tell the person who appears to have been harmed (or those acting on their behalf) what those actions are and when they will happen.
The duty of candour procedure provisions reflect our commitment to place people at the heart of health and social care services in Scotland.
We recognise that when unexpected or unintended incidents occur during the provision of treatment or care, openness and transparency is fundamental. This promotes a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
We share a common purpose with our partners in health and social care – and that is to provide high quality care and ensure the best possible outcomes for the people who use our services. Promoting improvement is at the heart of what we do.
We endeavour to provide a first class service at all times but sometimes things go wrong and our service may fall below our expected levels.
We pledge to:
- Have a culture of openness and honesty at all levels
- Inform patients in a timely manner when safety incidents have occurred which may affect them
- Provide a written and truthful account of the incident, explaining any investigations and enquiries made
- Provide a written apology
- Provide support if you are affected directly by an incident.
Information leaflets
If you require further information concerning our Duty of Candour procedures please contact the Practice.