UPDATED guidance from the Care Quality Commission on duty of candour makes clear that an apology required to comply with regulation does not mean accepting liability.
The updated guidance also provides a more specific explanation of what is defined as a notifiable safety incident and provides examples covering a range of scenarios.
A duty of candour is set out in Regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, which puts a legal duty on all health and social care providers to be open and transparent with people using services, and their families, in relation to their treatment and care.
Providers identifying a notifiable safety incident must inform the people affected about the incident, offer reasonable support and provide truthful information and a timely apology.
You can access MDDUS' latest advice article on Statutory Duty of Candour here.
This page was correct at the time of publication. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.