What is Duty of Candour and Why Does it Matter?

This article specifically references the Quality Care Commission, known as the CQC. They are the independent regulator of health and social care in England. However, the themes of this article can be applied to all settings, both in health and social care, and in education, in all countries.

As health and other social care providers, we have an ethical responsibility to be open, honest, and transparent with the individuals we care for. This is known as duty of candour. So, what does this look like in practice, and why is it important?

What is duty of candour?

The duty of candour regulation applies to every health and social care setting in the UK that is subject to CQC inspection.

There are two types of duty of candour: statutory and professional. Both have similar aims: to make sure that registered providers and managers are open and transparent with the people using their services, whether things have gone wrong or not.

The statutory duty of candour is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), whereas the professional duty of candour is overseen by regulators of specific healthcare professions such as the General Medical Council (GMC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the General Dental Council (GDC).

Why is duty of candour important?

Not only are we duty-bound to adopt the duty of candour regulation as part of our professional protocols (under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, Regulation 20), it is also one of the most effective ways to support those in our care.

Service users and their families are often in vulnerable situations where they are putting unequivocal trust in their relevant care provider. They deserve to know the details of their care, and the truth surrounding any incidents that may occur. Duty of candour, therefore, is a key element in providing high quality, person-centred care that is rooted in respect and dignity.

In addition, duty of candour guarantees a consistent approach across all health and social care providers, resulting in a standardised response in the event of a serious incident. Not only that, but it also presents a mechanism through which all providers can reflect when things go wrong, to help prevent similar incidents from recurring in the future.

Embedding a candid practice based on duty of candour

Being candid is a central part of our role as health and care professionals. It requires us to communicate truthfully and honestly with service users, carers, and advocates; apologise to the service user or carer when things go wrong; take action to put things right where possible; and follow pre-agreed arrangements for recording, reporting, and following up any incidents in a timely and appropriate fashion.

Duty of candour is also central to dealing with our employees, employers, managers, and regulators, ensuring that we are always open and honest in our communications.