For some, candour need not be a “duty”

On the 1st April 2018 Duty of Candour Regulations will come into force in Scotland:

The Scottish Press has reported this. Here is one such headline:

However this headline is not correct.

I have finally had a question about Duty of Candour answered by the Scottish Government’s “Openness and Learning Team”

Certain professional groups, who are involved in shaping health and social care,  are exempt from the duty of candour regulations:

• all Healthcare Improvement Scotland staff
• all Scottish civil servants (such as the Department of Health)

and

• the Scottish Government.