PED - Ethics: duty of candour

What is duty of candour ?

“This is a professional responsibility to be open and honest with patients when something goes wrong with their treatment or care which causes, or has the potential to cause, harm or distress”

What must health care professionals do ?

1.tell the patient when something has gone wrong;

2.apologise to the patient

3.offer an appropriate remedy or support to put matters right (if possible); and

4.explain fully to the patient the short and long-term effects of what has

happened.

What GPhC standard does this relate to ?

standard 8

-is the professional duty of candour - Pharmacy professionals must speak up when they have concerns or when things go wrong.

How do you apply the standard 8?

• promote and encourage a culture of learning and improvement

• are open and honest when things go wrong

• apologize and provide an explanation , put things right

• reflect on feedback

• improve the quality of care by learning from feedback

What should you do when things go wrong?

• provide advice about what has happened to determine the extent of harm

• pharmacists may need to speak with professional indemnity for advise

• apologise - explain what. has happened

• follow any relevant workplace policies , sops

What are the patient safety professional standards ( 1) ?

Reflect

• proactively , regularly reflect on existing knowledge , understanding and identifying gaps - improve the delivery of safe and effective person- centred care

Be honest and open

• when a patient safety incident occurs to support professional accountability and the individuals affected by the incident

Review

• all patient safety incidents - identify an appropriate response , manage risk and support safety

Record and report

• to improve patient safety and facilitate the development of local , regional and national solutions

What are the patient safety professional standards ( 2) ?

Act

• take relevant action , change improve the quality of practice systems to minimise reoccurence

Share learning

• from appropriate patient safety incidents - minimise future risks where relevant and appropriate

Evaluate

• regularly evaluate systems , interventions and changes made to assess outcomes of patient safety incidents

How do you whistleblow duty of candour ?

• challenge poor behaviours , practic e

• raise a concern

• promptly tell their employer - and relevant authorities

• support people who have raised concerns

How do you raise concerns ?

• follow employers policy

• raise with supervisor / manager first

• speak to named person responsible for handling concerns

• keep a record and try to maintain confidentiality

Employers should 🇦:

○ Make sure all concerns are properly investigated

○ Ensure the whistle blower is not victimised

○ Support both the pharmacist raising the concern and any

pharmacist who might be the subject of the concern