Duty of Candour Course (Level 4)

Duty of Candour Course (Level 4) – Online Course

Course overview
This online course introduces the principles of duty of candour in healthcare and social care, focusing on openness and honesty when care or treatment does not go as expected. Learners explore Regulation 20, the distinction between statutory and professional duties of candour, notifiable safety incidents and the importance of appropriate apologies. The course takes approximately one hour and includes a CPD-accredited digital certificate upon successful completion of the assessment.

Please note: This course provides knowledge of duty of candour principles and their application in care settings. It does not replace practical, regulated or role-specific training, workplace procedures or other training an employer may require.

What the course covers
• Introduction to duty of candour
• Regulation 20 and its requirements
• Types of duty of candour
• Notifiable safety incidents
• Regulation 20 in full
• The importance of saying sorry
• Applying duty of candour in practice

Who is it for?
This course is suitable for professionals working in healthcare and social care who need to understand openness, transparency and communication following safety incidents. It is particularly relevant to:
• Care workers and support workers
• Healthcare assistants and nurses
• Care home staff and managers
• Registered managers
• Domiciliary care staff
• Healthcare and social care professionals involved in patient or service-user care
• Staff who contribute to incident reporting or communication
• Employees undertaking induction, refresher or awareness training

Practical benefits
• Understand the principles of openness and transparency when things go wrong
• Recognise when different types of duty of candour may apply
• Understand the purpose and requirements of Regulation 20
• Identify the significance of notifiable safety incidents
• Appreciate the role of timely and appropriate apologies
• Support honest communication with people affected by care incidents
• Contribute to a workplace culture focused on learning and safer care

What learners will be able to do
• Explain the main principles and terminology associated with duty of candour
• Describe the purpose of Regulation 20
• Distinguish between statutory and professional duties of candour
• Recognise the significance of notifiable safety incidents
• Explain why an appropriate apology is important when harm has occurred
• Apply relevant good-practice principles to workplace situations
• Communicate appropriately when concerns or incidents arise
• Recognise when advice, reporting or escalation may be necessary

Is this training a legal requirement?
Completing this specific online course is not universally required by UK law. However, in England, Regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 establishes a statutory duty of candour for relevant CQC-regulated providers. It requires openness and transparency and sets out specific requirements when a notifiable safety incident occurs.

CQC expects providers to have appropriate policies, systems and training to help staff implement these requirements. Professional duties of candour may also apply to individual healthcare professionals through their professional regulators. Employers should identify the training needed for each role according to the applicable regulatory requirements, responsibilities and workplace procedures.

Assessment and certificate
Learners complete an online multiple-choice assessment. Successful completion provides an instant CPD-accredited digital certificate that can be downloaded or printed. The course is delivered online and can be accessed on a phone, tablet or computer, allowing learners to study at their own pace.