ADHD Direct
Date: 06/05/2025
About the Duty of Candour
At ADHD Direct, we are dedicated to delivering safe, high-quality, and person-centred care to all individuals accessing our services. As a provider of independent healthcare services in Scotland, we are legally required to comply with the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 and the Duty of Candour Procedure (Scotland) Regulations 2018.
This statement outlines how we meet our legal responsibilities, including how we respond when something goes wrong and how we communicate openly and supportively with those affected.
Our Legal Obligations
As part of the Duty of Candour, we must follow a structured procedure when an unintended or unexpected incident results in:
- Death.
- Harm.
- Or when additional treatment is required to prevent death or harm.
Our legal obligations include the following key actions:
- Notify the person affected (or their family/relative, where appropriate).
- Provide an apology in a compassionate, person-centred manner.
- Carry out a review of the circumstances that led to the incident.
- Offer a meeting with the person affected and/or their family.
- Provide a clear account of the incident and its outcomes.
- Communicate any follow-up actions to prevent recurrence.
- Support staff who are involved in notifying the person.
- Publish an annual Duty of Candour report outlining what occurred and what was learned.
Further guidance is available in the Scottish Government’s Duty of Candour Guidance.
Our Procedures
We have implemented a formal Duty of Candour Policy which sets out how we comply with these obligations. This includes:
- A clear process to identify qualifying incidents as defined in section 21 of the Act.
- Immediate reporting to the Practice Manager and Clinical Lead.
- Initiation of a timely and thorough internal review.
- Engagement with all relevant parties, including patients, families, and external bodies if required.
- Structured documentation and audit trails.
- Integration with other governance processes such as complaints, feedback, and significant event reviews.
- Ensuring our systems enable accurate data collection and reporting.
Training and Staff Awareness
To ensure we meet our obligations effectively, we ensure that all staff are trained in:
- Recognising and responding to incidents that may trigger the Duty of Candour.
- Delivering clear, compassionate, and respectful apologies.
- Managing sensitive conversations and emotional responses.
- Documenting incidents thoroughly and accurately.
We make use of both in-house learning and national e-learning resources freely available to our team. Regular refreshers and reflective learning sessions form part of our ongoing development.
Support and Learning
We provide support to both staff and individuals affected by Duty of Candour incidents. Our support systems include:
- Peer debriefing and clinical supervision for staff.
- Emotional and psychological support for service users.
- Dedicated points of contact for queries or concerns during the process.
We actively share lessons learned through:
- Clinical governance meetings.
- Policy updates.
- Team training and reflective practice sessions.
- Case reviews.
This culture of transparency helps us to continuously improve our services and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
Duty of Candour Annual Report
In line with legal requirements, we publish an annual Duty of Candour Report at the end of each financial year. This report outlines:
- The number and types of Duty of Candour incidents that occurred.
- How each incident was handled.
- What was learned?
- Improvements or changes implemented as a result.
- Training undertaken by staff.
- Any amendments made to our policy or procedure.
Even if no Duty of Candour incidents occur in a given year, we are still required to publish a statement confirming this and summarising related staff training.
Preparing for Reporting and Review
When preparing our Duty of Candour procedure and report, we ask ourselves:
- How do we identify relevant incidents quickly and accurately?
- Do our systems and staff understand and uphold their responsibilities?
- Are we confident in our ability to deliver open communication, including apologies, in a person-centred way?
- How do we collect, review, and report relevant information effectively?
- Are lessons learned integrated into broader quality improvement efforts?
- Do we offer appropriate support to both staff and service users throughout?
These reflective questions ensure we continuously review and strengthen our approach.
Accessing Our Reports
Duty of Candour Annual Reports will be published on our website. If you require the report in an alternative format, please contact us at info@adhddirect.co.uk.
Contact Information
For more information about our Duty of Candour policy or to request access to our annual reports, please contact:
Chelsea Son
Practice Manager
ADHD Direct
Email: chelseason@adhddirect.co.uk
