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Duty of Candour in Healthcare Practice

👥 0 students 📖 36 lessons & topics

Course Description

Being open and honest with patients when care does not go as planned is a fundamental professional expectation in UK healthcare. Failures of candour are a common concern in complaints and regulatory investigations, often leading to loss of trust and questions about professional insight. Regulators including the GMC, NMC, GDC, GPhC, and HCPC expect professionals to communicate effectively, apologise sincerely, and act with integrity — even in difficult or emotionally charged situations. This course provides clear, practical guidance on applying the duty of candour confidently in everyday practice.

Who This Course Is For

This course is suitable for doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and allied health professionals working across NHS and independent settings in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is particularly relevant for practitioners facing complaints, investigations, fitness-to-practise proceedings, or remediation where openness and communication are key concerns, as well as clinical leaders seeking to promote a culture of openness and learning.

What You Will Learn

The course covers the meaning and scope of the duty of candour, the ethical foundations of openness, honesty, and transparency, when the duty of candour applies including everyday practice and serious incidents, how to communicate clearly and apologise sincerely without assigning blame, regulatory guidance and expectations across UK healthcare professions, reflection and insight following incidents, and building a team culture that supports candour and learning.

What You Receive

On successful completion you receive a CPD UK accredited certificate and structured CPD evidence suitable for appraisal, revalidation, remediation portfolios, and regulatory submissions. The course is fully online and self-paced — accessible immediately after enrolment.

CPD UK CertifiedThis course is CPD UK certified. The accredited certificate issued on completion is accepted as evidence for UK appraisal, revalidation, remediation plans, and regulatory submissions.
Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. This course is CPD UK certified, and participants receive an accredited CPD certificate on successful completion.

Yes. The course provides structured CPD evidence suitable for UK appraisal, revalidation, and professional portfolios.

Yes. This course is particularly suitable for healthcare professionals dealing with complaints, investigations, fitness-to-practise processes, or remediation where openness and communication are key concerns.

Yes. The course explains how to offer a sincere, professional apology in line with regulatory guidance, without assigning blame or admitting legal liability.

Yes. The course is delivered fully online and can be completed at your own pace, with instant access immediately after enrolment.

Yes. On successful completion you will receive an accredited CPD certificate suitable for appraisal, revalidation, and regulatory purposes in the UK.

Course Content

1

Section 1 – Understanding the Duty of Candour in Healthcare Practice

  • 1.1 What is the Duty of Candour?

  • 1.2 Why the Duty of Candour Matters in Healthcare

  • 1.3 When Does the Duty of Candour Apply?

  • 1.4 Candour in Everyday Professional Practice

  • 1.5 Ethical Foundations of the Duty of Candour

  • 1.6 Summary and Quiz – Section 1

2

Section 2 – Professional Guidance from Healthcare Regulators

  • 2.1 Shared Expectations Across Healthcare Professions

  • 2.2 What Happens When the Duty of Candour is Breached?

  • 2.3 Summary and Quiz – Section 2

3

Section 3 – Being Open When Things Go Wrong

  • 3.1 Responding with Openness in Practice

  • 3.2 The Importance of Timeliness

  • 3.3 Structuring a Candid Conversation

  • 3.4 Language Matters: Apologising Without Blame

  • 3.5 Reassurance Without False Promises

  • 3.6 Everyday Opportunities for Openness

  • 3.7 Summary and Quiz – Section 3

4

Section 4 – Reflection and Insight Following an Incident

  • 4.1 Why Reflection Matters in the Context of Candour

  • 4.2 The Qualities of Insightful Reflection

  • 4.3 Reflective Questions to Guide Professional Insight

  • 4.4 Reflective Practice as a Routine Habit

  • 4.5 Reflection and the Duty of Candour in Remediation

  • 4.6 Summary and Quiz – Section 4

5

Section 5 – Team Culture and Leadership for Candour

  • 5.1 Candour Is a Team Responsibility

  • 5.2 Barriers to Openness in Teams

  • 5.3 Characteristics of a Candour-Supportive Team Culture

  • 5.4 The Role of Leadership in Modelling Candour

  • 5.5 Supporting Colleagues Through Candour

  • 5.6 Embedding Candour in Team Practice

  • 5.7 Summary and Quiz – Section 5

6

Section 6 – Summary and Conclusion

  • 6.1 Summary and Conclusion