This course explains the two duties of candour that apply in UK healthcare: the professional duty that applies to every registered professional, and the statutory duty that applies to organisations. It takes you step by step through a candour conversation and the written follow-up, with worked examples, and explains what regulators expect if a concern has been raised about a failure to be open.
What you will learn
- Distinguish between the professional duty of candour and the statutory duty of candour, and state who each applies to.
- Describe the main requirements of Regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, including what a notifiable safety incident is.
- Carry out a candour conversation with a patient or family that includes an explanation, an apology and information about next steps.
- Record a candour discussion accurately and contribute to the written notification.
- Recognise the barriers to openness and explain why an apology is not an admission of legal liability.
- Reflect on a failure of candour and plan remediation with verifiable evidence.
Course content
- Why candour matters (2 min)
- The professional duty of candour (3 min)
- The statutory duty of candour (4 min)
- Having a candour conversation (3 min)
- Barriers to openness (2 min)
- Case study: a failure of candour (3 min)
- Insight and remediation (2 min)
- Knowledge check (10 questions, 10 min)
- Guided reflection (15 min)
Standards and guidance covered
- GMC and NMC joint guidance: Openness and honesty when things go wrong: the professional duty of candour (2015, updated 2022)
- GMC: Good Medical Practice (2024), including the duties to be open and honest with patients when things go wrong
- NMC: The Code (2015, updated 2018), section 14 on being open and candid with all service users about all aspects of care and treatment
- HCPC: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics (2024), including being open when things go wrong
- GPhC: Standards for pharmacy professionals (2017), including being open and honest when things go wrong
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, Regulation 20: Duty of candour (England)
Certificate
Courses are free to study. When you pass the knowledge check (80%) and complete your reflection, you can buy a verified certificate showing your CPD time, with a unique ID and QR code that anyone can check on our verification page.
Study free at your own pace on any device.
Related guides
Duty of Candour: What to Do When Things Go Wrong
Duty of candour explained for UK healthcare professionals: what to do when things go wrong, how to apologise, near misses and the statutory duty.
How to Respond to and Reflect on a Patient Complaint
How to respond to a patient complaint calmly and professionally, and how to write a reflection on it that shows insight, with a worked healthcare example.
Practitioner Insight is an independent education provider. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the GMC, MPTS, NMC, HCPC, GPhC or any NHS organisation, and this information is not legal advice. If you have been referred to a regulator, speak to your defence organisation, trade union or legal representative.