Duty of Candour Policy

Name & address of service:

Registered office of the service provider          

Temple Medical

13 Ashley Road

Aberdeen

AB10 6RU

Independent healthcare service

6 West Craibstone Street

Aberdeen

AB11 6DL

Date of report:

05/12/2023

How have you made sure that you (and your staff) understand your responsibilities relating to the duty of candour and have systems in place to respond effectively?

How have you done this?

Yes, all staff have been sent the Duty of Candour policy, have been made aware of any updates or changes and are required to sign and acknowledge this through our health and safety/HR platform Citation.

This will also be discussed at our clinic meeting and documented.

Do you have a Duty of Candour Policy or written duty of candour procedure?

YES

NO

How many times have you/your service implemented the duty of candour procedure this financial year?

Type of unexpected or unintended incidents (not relating to the natural course of someone’s illness or underlying conditions)

Number of times this has happened (April XX  - March XX)

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Did the responsible person for triggering duty of candour appropriately follow the procedure?

If not, did this result is any under or over reporting of duty of candour?

We have not had to trigger our Duty of candour policy this year.

What lessons did you learn?

N/A

What learning & improvements have been put in place as a result?

N/A

Did this result is a change / update to your duty of candour policy / procedure?

We have recently updated our Duty of Candour policy, but not as a result of the policy being triggered.

How did you share lessons learned and who with?

This has been shared to team members via citation and will be discussed at our next clinic meeting.

Could any further improvements be made?

We will keep up to date with the newest legislation and amend policy where required.

What systems do you have in place to support staff to provide an apology in a person-centred way and how do you support staff to enable them to do this?

The clinic has implemented training sessions focused on communication skills and empathy, encouraging a culture of openness and honesty. Additionally, we provide regular debriefing sessions for staff after incidents, and discuss any incidents during team meetings, where required, offering emotional support, and ensuring they understand the importance of apologising in a way that acknowledges the patient’s experience and feelings are vital. Such an approach not only aligns with the legal requirements of Duty of Candour but also fosters a more compassionate and patient-centric healthcare environment. This can include role-playing scenarios to help staff understand the impact of their words and actions from a patient's perspective, ensuring that apologies are sincere and meaningful.

What support do you have available for people involved in invoking the procedure and those who might be affected?

Ensuring that all staff are well-trained in the Duty of Candour procedures, including how to effectively communicate with those affected by an incident. Maintaining clear and open lines of communication with all parties involved, ensuring they are kept informed about the investigation process, outcomes, and any steps taken to prevent future occurrences.

Systems for collecting and addressing feedback from those involved in the incident, to continually improve the Duty of Candour process and the support provided.

Please note anything else that you feel may be applicable to report.