Why is Duty of Candour Important

We have briefly talked about the importance of duty of candour, but now we are going to look at this in a bit more detail. There are a number of reasons why duty of candour is so important and the first one of these in the healthcare setting is that you are dealing with other people and their bodies, therefore, if something potentially negative has happened to them, they need to be informed how it has infected them and what, if anything, has been done to make it better.

Should the mistake have affected them long-term and they then need to have changes to their current care, they need to give informed consent. To do this, they need as comprehensive details as possible so that they are aware of the new plan, any potential risks and the reason for the change. Another reason is to make sure that the mistake has had as little negative impact on the patient as possible. This means that the person who has made the mistake needs to let the relevant senior team member know, whether that be a doctor, nurse or team lead, so they can make sure that the patient does not deteriorate and remain stable.

Obviously, the reason this is important is to prevent any further harm to the patient. Remember, the duty of candour comes after making sure the patient is in good condition. So do not waste time apologising to the patient and their families if there is a serious need for care. Make sure that you find the best and most suitable time to have this conversation with the patient about what has happened and you should tell them unless someone else needs to be made aware so that their health can be cared for and monitored.

The next reason may feel slightly selfish, but it is still very important and it is that it may help to protect you against any litigation as a result of the mistake. Something will have had to gone seriously wrong for this to occur, but this does not mean it still does not happen occasionally. Obviously, the best way to prevent litigation is to make sure that as few mistakes as possible have happened. However, we are all human, so mistakes can happen. If we are polite and considerate to the patient and do everything possible to make sure that they are not negatively affected, they are less likely to take legal action. This protects both you and your organisation. Since you will probably be working as a team, if you are reporting their misses and errors, it is more likely that the other people you are working with will also do the same.

This creates a much safer environment for everyone and emphasises greater inter-organisation communication. Reporting these things also allows the organisation to determine what can be done to make the environment safer and allows them to put procedures in place to stop them from happening again in the future. As said previously, making sure that you are open and honest with the patient throughout their care establishes a rapport and builds trust. Not only does this make patients feel more comfortable, but it also makes them more likely to continue with treatment and changes that may be necessary.