What candour and speaking up mean in optical support work

Candour is being open and honest when care or service has gone wrong and someone has been harmed or distressed, or there may be implications for future care. It includes telling the person affected, apologising, explaining what is known, supporting them and learning from the incident.

Speaking up is raising a concern when safety, honesty, professional standards or patient care may be at risk. Concerns can be raised with a line manager, practice owner, registrant, safeguarding lead, complaints route, regulator or another appropriate route depending on the issue.

The support-staff role

Optometrists, dispensing opticians, practice managers, owners and clinical leads may need to lead formal candour conversations, clinical review, complaint handling or regulatory decisions. Support staff are not expected to decide legal thresholds on their own.

Support staff do have an important role. They may spot the first sign that something is wrong, for example a patient saying their vision feels unsafe in new spectacles, an image attached to the wrong record, a referral letter not sent, or colleagues being told not to record a near miss.

The safer response is to raise the concern early, give factual information, avoid speculation and follow local procedure. If you are unsure whether candour applies, escalate rather than stay quiet.

GOC follow-on learning

Candour and speaking up are team duties in practice. Support staff often notice problems first, so early escalation matters.