The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has developed two new resources- Keeping patients safe being open and honest and Pharmacy team toolkit - learning
from incidents, to help pharmacists and pharmacy technicians fulfil the duty of candour - the professional responsibility to be open and honest with patients if/when
something goes wrong.
The new resources bring together relevant existing policy, standards, and previous statements on the professional obligations of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians,
with respect to candour.
It also emphasises that the duty of candour is not an add on - it's a fundamental part of pharmacy professional practice.
The responsibility to be open and honest applies even in difficult or challenging times and it's essential that professionals do the right thing for patients, their
families and carers. Saying sorry meaningfully when things go wrong is vital for everyone involved.
Given the link with issues around liability and indemnity, the National Pharmacy Association and the Pharmacists' Defence Association - as leading providers of
professional indemnity - have also contributed to the new resources and highlighted the importance of openness and transparency in this context.