Duty of Candour

At Pathfinder Group, we are committed to being open, honest and transparent with the people we support, their families, representatives, commissioners and other professionals.

The Duty of Candour is a legal requirement for health and social care providers. It means that, when something goes wrong with a person’s care or treatment and causes harm, we must act in an open and honest way.

Our Commitment

We aim to provide safe, compassionate and effective care at all times. However, we recognise that incidents can occur. When they do, we will respond promptly, investigate appropriately, and communicate clearly with those affected.

We will:

  • Tell the person, or their representative, when a notifiable safety incident has occurred

  • Provide a clear and honest explanation of what happened

  • Offer a sincere apology where appropriate

  • Explain what actions are being taken in response

  • Keep the person, family or representative updated throughout any investigation

  • Share learning and improvements where appropriate

  • Keep accurate records of all Duty of Candour communications

When Duty of Candour Applies

Duty of Candour applies when a notifiable safety incident occurs during the delivery of care or treatment.

This may include situations where an incident has resulted in:

  • Death

  • Serious harm

  • Moderate harm

  • Prolonged psychological harm

Where an incident does not meet the formal Duty of Candour threshold, we will still aim to communicate openly and honestly with people and their representatives.

How We Respond

When an incident occurs, our team will take immediate action to make sure the person is safe and receives any support or treatment they need.

We will then review what happened, identify whether Duty of Candour applies, and ensure the appropriate person is informed. This may include the person receiving care, their family, advocate, legal representative, commissioner or other relevant professional, depending on the circumstances and the person’s consent and best interests.

Apology and Support

Saying sorry is an important part of being open and accountable. An apology does not mean that we are admitting legal liability. It means we recognise that something has happened and that the person affected deserves compassion, honesty and support.

We will make sure that people affected by an incident are treated with dignity, respect and sensitivity.

Learning from Incidents

We take all incidents seriously. Where something has gone wrong, we will review the circumstances and identify what can be learned.

This may include:

  • Reviewing care plans and risk assessments

  • Updating policies or procedures

  • Providing additional staff training or supervision

  • Improving communication and record keeping

  • Strengthening governance and oversight

  • Sharing learning across the organisation

Our aim is to reduce the risk of similar incidents happening again.

Raising Concerns

We encourage people, families, carers, staff and professionals to raise concerns if they believe something has gone wrong or if they feel they have not received clear information following an incident.

Concerns can be raised through our Complaints and Feedback process or by contacting the service directly.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about Duty of Candour or wish to raise a concern, please contact us:

Email: ian.currie@pathfinder-group.co.uk
Telephone: 020 3161 4925
Address: 2-6 Jersey Avenue Stanmore London HA7 2JQ

You can also speak directly with the Registered Manager or senior member of staff at the relevant service.