Duty of Candor report July 2020

​DUTY OF CANDOUR REPORT
JULY 2020
 
Duty of Candour is a legal requirement to ensure that if something goes wrong in health or social care services the people affected are offered an explanation, an apology and an assurance that staff will learn from the error. The learning is shared with the people affected and throughout Scotland.
 
Following the announcement of Lockdown by the Scottish Government Crossroads implemented the Corona Virus contingency plan, services were put on hold for various reasons i.e. self-isolation and shielding. A skeleton rota was identified and staff shielding were requested to stay at home for a period of twelve weeks. The main office was closed to all staff and general public. Arrangements were made for all office staff to work from home in line with government guidelines.
 
A Contingency Plan Information and Guidance folder is in place and holds the following information:
 
1.    Contingency Plan
2.    New & Amended policies and procedures
3.    Support worker, Office (Individual) and Workplace Risk Assessments
4.    Health Protection Scotland Information & Guidance
5.    Fife Health & Social Care Partnership Guidance and Communication
6.    Scottish Government Guidance
7.    Care Inspectorate Guidance
8.    Crossroads Fife Guidance and Updates for all staff
 
This will continue to be updated as changes are implemented. The Duty of Candour report would normally have been released in March 2020 however due to Covid -19 this was delayed until July 2020.
 
The office staff returned to Buko Tower on 18 May 2020 in line with government guidelines, ensuring that all health and safety requirements were met. The coordinators will remain on a blended return to the office/working from home until Dec 2020, to minimise traffic in the office on a daily basis. The office remains closed to support workers and the general public.
 
This report describes how Crossroads Fife has implemented Duty of Candour throughout the period April 2019 – March 2020.
 
Crossroads Fife is a charity primarily funded by Fife Health and Social Care Partnership to provide respite support to Carers who support people of any age and any disability throughout Fife. Crossroads Fife is also on the Care at Home Framework and supports people in receipt of Self Directed Support to achieve their outcomes.
 
Crossroads Fife has a Duty of Candour Policy and staff guidance. All staff have undertaken training to help them understand the Organisation’s policy and the process of the Duty of Candour which could affect them.
 
Incident Reporting
 
All health and social care services in Scotland must provide an annual duty of candour report for the service. As a registered support service provider this information is sent to our regulator the Care Inspectorate.
 
During the reporting period no incidents triggered Duty of Candour.
 
Our Policy and Process
 
If an incident occurred that necessitated the implementation of Duty of Candour our staff would follow procedure and report this to their line manager and Service Manager who oversees the service Crossroads Fife provides.
 
The incident would be reported and the named staff member would complete the Care Inspectorate e-form.
 
The internal reporting form highlights the learning needed as a result of the incident and any specific staff team learning necessary.
 
Service Manager and line manger would meet with staff to provide support and emphasise this is about learning and improving, not blame.
 
Duty of Candour is part of our Induction and Core training which all staff have to undertake. Whilst it is distressing when things go wrong we can and do learn from our mistakes and adapt our processes to try and minimise the event recurring.
 
Where the incident arises from staff wrong doing then our disciplinary policy would be put in place. If you would like more information regarding this report please contact the Service Manager.