1.2. Explain how duty of care relates to the duty of candour

1.2. Explain how duty of care relates to the duty of candour

Course- Level 3 diploma in care (RQF)

Unit 3 –Duty of Care in Care Settings

L.O 1 – Understand how duty of care contributes to safe practice

Understanding Duty of Care

Duty of care is the legal and moral responsibility that care workers have to protect the health, safety, and well-being of the people they care for.

This involves acting in the best interests of the service user and taking whatever action is necessary to safeguard individuals to prevent harm, as well as providing safe, effective, and respectful care.

The care worker will have the responsibility to follow policies and procedures, and guidelines to minimise risk and ensure safe and effective support.

Understanding Duty of Candour

The duty of candour is a professional and legal obligation to be open and honest when things go wrong in the care we provide.

It applies to any situation that causes harm or has the potential to cause harm to someone using the service

Key elements include:

Telling the individual (or their family) about the incident

Offering a genuine apology

Explaining what happened

Taking action to avoid a repeat of the incident

How Duty of Care Relates to Duty of Candour

These two duties are fundamentally interlinked and overlap to protect people who use care services:

1. Shared Goal of Safe Practice

Both duties are aimed at keeping people safe; establishing trust, honesty, and openness.

Personal Duty of Care relates to having due regard for others and preventing harm, while Personal Duty of Candour relates to what happens once harm has occurred. 

2. Promoting Accountability

The Duty of Care is dependent on action in perpetuity. 

Duty of Candour considers this and adds the additional responsibility of accepting any poor practice or errors, and learning from such to improve care in the future.

3. Supporting Ethical Practice

To provide an honest account of errors, demonstrates respect for the user and keeps their dignity intact, as well as discourages a blame culture and embraces a learning culture. 

It allows care teams to acknowledge their practice puts itself at a low Lorcassion point and learn from it to ensure it never happens again.

4. Establishing Trust

When care staff undertake both duties, service users and families are more likely to trust the service. 

Informed consent allows for a decrease in fear and anxiety, and misunderstanding following incidents. 

Conclusion

Duty of care and duty of candour work together; one aims to cause no harm through safe car, while the other seeks to be honest and professional in any mistakes. Together, they provide a safe, respectful, and trustworthy care environment.