GMC and NMC - Guidance on the professional duty of candour (March 2022)

Summary

Healthcare professionals have a duty to be open and honest with patients and people in their care when something that goes wrong with their treatment or care causes, or has the potential to cause, harm or distress. This is know as the professional duty of candour.

This joint guidance from the General Medical Council and Nursing & Midwifery Council provides detailed guidance for healthcare professionals on:

• being open and honest with patients in your care, and those close to them, when things go wrong.
• encouraging a learning culture by reporting errors.