Government considering wider "duty of candour" for hospitals

It has been reported that Ministers are to consult on whether a new legal duty of candour should be introduced which obliges hospitals to tell patients if they have been harmed. The proposed rules are set to be amended so that hospitals not only admit fault for cases of death or severe disability, but also for cases of significant harm.

Edwina Rawson, solicitor specialising in medical negligence says "it is essential for there to be a culture of honesty in relation to mistakes that are made during treatment. We wholly endorse a duty of candour".