Purpose
The Duty of Candour ensures carers are open, honest, and transparent when incidents occur, fostering trust and learning for continuous improvement.
Key Points
What is the Duty of Candour?
It’s a legal and professional obligation to inform care recipients (or their representatives) when a notifiable safety incident happens.
What is a Notifiable Safety Incident?
Any unintended or unexpected event during care that results in significant harm, including death, severe or moderate harm, or prolonged psychological harm.
What does this mean for carers?
You must notify the care recipient or their representative promptly, provide an explanation and apology, and document the process.
Procedure Summary
Identifying an Incident:
Assess whether the event meets the criteria for a notifiable safety incident. For more information on this please navigate to our Duty of Candour policy and procedure.
Notify the Relevant Person:
Speak to the edyn.care team right away.
You may be asked to speak to the care recipient or their representative within 24 hours, unless the office decides to do this on your behalf.
Explain the incident clearly and factually.
Written Follow-Up:
Provide a written summary, including:
What happened.
Steps being taken to investigate.
A formal apology, if aplicable.
Investigation and Learning:
Participate in a thorough review of the incident.
Work with the team to identify improvements and prevent recurrence.
Support Available:
You can access training, peer support, and resources for help navigating this process. Please just ask a member of the team.
Roles and Responsibilities
Carers:
Report incidents immediately.
Communicate with openness and empathy.
Registered Care Manager (RCM):
Oversee investigations and ensure compliance with the Duty of Candour.
Support carers and care recipients during and after incidents.
edyn.care Team:
Monitor incidents, share learnings, and improve systems and processes.
FAQs
1. What counts as “harm”?
Harm includes physical injuries, significant distress, or any incident affecting the care recipient’s well-being.
2. What should I do if I’m unsure about reporting an incident?
Report it to the Registered Care Manager immediately. It’s better to share concerns early to ensure proper action.
3. How do I apologise effectively?
A good apology is sincere and acknowledges what happened. Say sorry, explain the steps being taken, and show your commitment to resolving the issue.
4. What support is available if I feel stressed about handling an incident?
Reach out to your manager or the edyn.care team. Training and peer support are available to guide you.
Important Dates & Updates:
• Effective Date: 3 January 2025
• Next Review Date: 3 January 2026
For more details, read the Safeguarding Policy or Accident and Incident Reporting Policy help centre articles. Need help? Contact the edyn.care team via phone or email.