Influencing policy and practice at the Professional Standards Authority’s conference

In November, we presented our research on the Duty of Candour at the Professional Standards Authority’s 2023 Academic Conference. The Duty of Candour sets out expectations of a registrant in the event of unexpected or unforeseen consequences of care. We presented alongside our clients who commissioned the work, the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) and the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). For chiropractic and osteopathic care, where serious adverse events are rare, such candour events are more likely to centre around uncertainty.

To understand patients and public expectations of candour relating to ‘grey areas’, we conducted a deliberative workshop with patients – a day-long session to explore understanding and expectations of candour. We used hypothetical scenarios relating to issues such as breaches of confidentiality and adverse symptoms which may or may not have been the direct result of treatment, to help highlight nuanced situations and bring the topic to life.

Both the GCC and GOsC have plans underway for how the findings might be used beyond informing the guidance relating to Duty of Candour. Ideas include sharing the scenarios (developed for the research) with practitioners and playing back the patient/public reactions to the scenarios so registrants can understand where expectations of candour may differ. For example, just what would a patient expect from a practitioner who had inadvertently left the notes of the previous patients visible on top of the filing cabinet?

The theme for the conference was how research can help address the challenges of safer care for all. This research brought a different perspective and considered public feedback to the debate. We were inspired by some of the other research presented on the day, including a great piece on how Social Work England has used lived and learned experience to inform a co-production approach to produce its State of the Nation report.

Overall, we felt heartened at how research continues to use innovative approaches to ensure that public and patient voices fuel continual improvement in healthcare. We look forward to the next conference!