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Duty of Candour

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From April 2023, the duty of candour is a legal requirement for all NHS organisations in Wales.

Openness and honesty should be at the heart of every relationship between those providing treatment and care and those experiencing it. In the NHS, we strive to provide high quality, safe and compassionate care to all of our service users. However, even when we do our best, people may sometimes experience harm. That’s why we have the Duty of Candour.

Our goal is to create a culture of trust and openness, so that you can feel confident in the care you receive from us.

The Duty of Candour is a legal requirement for NHS Organisations in Wales to be open and honest with service users receiving care and treatment. This is outlined in the Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Act 2020.

The Duty of Candour applies if the care we provide has, or may have contributed to unexpected or unintended moderate or severe harm, or death.

This duty builds on our Putting Things Right process  for raising concerns or complaints. Follow this link to go to the page with Putting Things Right information. You should continue to use our Putting Things Right process for raising concerns or complaints. You do not need to contact us about the Duty of Candour. We will contact you if the Duty of Candour applies to your care and treatment.

Follow this link for the Duty of Candour service users' guide.

Or go here to download a pdf version of the Duty of Candour service users' guide.

Go here for more information about the Duty of Candour from the Welsh Government website.

Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau ffôn yn y Gymraeg neu'r Saesneg. Atebir gohebiaeth Gymraeg yn y Gymraeg, ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at oedi. Mae’r dudalen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg drwy bwyso’r botwm ar y dde ar frig y dudalen.

We welcome correspondence and telephone calls in Welsh or English. Welsh language correspondence will be replied to in Welsh, and this will not lead to a delay. This page is available in Welsh by clicking ‘Cymraeg’ at the top right of this page.