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GOC Standard 19: Duty of Candour in Optical Practice

Building Trust Through Honesty and Transparency

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Duty of Candour in Optics
Why Candour Matters
Legal & Professional Framework
Triggers for Duty of Candour
Clinical Errors (Scenario 1)
Communicating with Patients
Apologising Appropriately
Dispensing Errors (Scenarios)
Recording and Escalation
Confidentiality Breaches
Learning from Incidents
Team Reflection: Scenarios
Reflection & Improvement
Duty of Candour - Exam Notes
Reading List
Course Completion
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Scenarios: Confidentiality Breaches

Data mistakes can cause real distress. Effective candour often combines prompt acknowledgement, containment, and a clear explanation of protections and next steps.^[1]^[3]

Scenario 5 - Email error

Scenario

You discover that, because of an autocomplete selection, a summary of findings and a prescription were emailed to the wrong patient. Realising the error, you consider immediate containment and communication.

How might disclosure, apology, and recording proceed?

Contact the affected patient promptly to explain what happened and offer a sincere apology.^[1]^[2]
Take containment steps: request deletion of the email and attempt a secure recall where technically possible; establish whether the unintended recipient has accessed or acted on the information.^[3]^[4]
Offer support to the affected patient, explain their rights under data protection, and provide a named contact for further concerns.^[3]
Log the event as a data incident and carry out a risk assessment of harm.^[3]^[4]
Notify the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if the incident meets statutory reporting criteria.^[3]
Provide written candour (formal written confirmation of the disclosure and actions taken).^[2]
Record and implement process changes to reduce recurrence (for example, disable autocomplete and require dual-checking of external addresses).^[4]

Scenario 6 - Reception breach

Scenario

At the reception desk, a patient overhears another person's condition and treatment plan being discussed aloud. Staff become aware that confidential information has been shared within earshot.

What candour obligations apply?

Offer a private, immediate apology to the affected patient and explain what occurred.^[1]^[5]
Describe and confirm containment and corrective actions (for example: lower voices, offer a private room option, instal acoustic panels where suitable).^[6]^[4]
Record the event as an incident and review relevant training and reception scripts.^[3]^[6]
Update signage to offer private discussions and implement monitoring (for example, monthly spot-checks of voice level and on-screen data visibility).^[4]^[6]
Provide written confirmation of actions taken and a contact for further queries.^[2]

Accountability and learning

Accountability details to record: who was informed; what containment and notifications occurred; when letters were sent; why selected controls are likely to reduce recurrence.^[2]^[3]
Learning prompts: privacy screens; screen-angle checks; reception scripts; a monthly spot-check for voice level and on-screen data visibility.^[4]^[6]

References (numbered in text)

Openness and honesty when things go wrong: The professional duty of candour — General Medical Council Find (opens in a new tab)
Regulation 20: Duty of candour — Care Quality Commission Find (opens in a new tab)
Personal data breaches: a guide — Information Commissioner's Office Find (opens in a new tab)
Personal data breaches and related incidents — NHS England (Transformation Directorate) Find (opens in a new tab)
Saying Sorry — NHS Resolution Find (opens in a new tab)
Managing and protecting personal information (Confidentiality: good practice in handling patient information) — General Medical Council Find (opens in a new tab)

Key Points

Please take a moment to review these points, reflect on their significance and consider how they apply to your own experiences.

Tick to confirm (optional):

Promptly acknowledge data/privacy mistakes and contact affected patients
Offer a sincere, private apology and named contact for concerns
Containment actions (request deletion, secure recall, limit further disclosure)
Record the event as a data incident and complete a risk assessment
Notify the ICO when statutory thresholds for personal data breaches are met
Follow up with written candour and clear documentation of steps taken
Implement practical controls (disable autocomplete, dual-check external addresses)
Address environmental controls for reception confidentiality (private room option, lower voices, signage)
Review training, update scripts and record learning actions in governance
Log accountability details: who was informed, containment, timelines and rationale for controls

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Course Snapshot

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Length: 60 minutes CPD (1.00 CE Credits)
Appropriate for: Optometrists, Dispensing Opticians, Practice Managers, Optical Assistants, Reception Staff, Trainee clinicians and practice governance leads.
Course Price: Free
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Cite this resource

Harvard

Mecourse Lifelong Learning (2025) ‘Scenario Page 3: Confidentiality Breaches’. Mecourse Lifelong Learning [Online]. Available at: https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-3-confidentiality-breaches [Accessed 12 May 2026].

Vancouver

Mecourse Lifelong Learning. Scenario Page 3: Confidentiality Breaches [Internet]. Mecourse Lifelong Learning; 2025 Aug 22 [cited 2026 May 12]. Available from: https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-3-confidentiality-breaches.

Chicago

Mecourse Lifelong Learning. “Scenario Page 3: Confidentiality Breaches.” 2025. https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-3-confidentiality-breaches. Accessed May 12, 2026.

APA

Mecourse Lifelong Learning. (2025, August 22). Scenario Page 3: Confidentiality Breaches. https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-3-confidentiality-breaches

IEEE

Mecourse Lifelong Learning, “Scenario Page 3: Confidentiality Breaches.” Mecourse Lifelong Learning. https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-3-confidentiality-breaches (Accessed: May 12, 2026).

AMA

Mecourse Lifelong Learning. Scenario Page 3: Confidentiality Breaches. Mecourse Lifelong Learning. Published August 22, 2025. Accessed May 12, 2026. https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-3-confidentiality-breaches.

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GOC Standard 19: Duty of Candour in Optical Practice

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Scenarios: Confidentiality Breaches

Scenario 5 - Email error

Scenario 6 - Reception breach

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