Published 29 July 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.40018.430972.4D
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b3057

Feature

Adverse events

You can say sorry

Jane Feinmann, freelance journalist

1 London

jane@janefeinmann.com

Jane Feinmann assesses initiatives that challenge the idea that doctors cannot afford to apologise when something goes wrong

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

"To err is human; to cover up is unforgivable." So said England’s chief medical officer, Liam Donaldson, at the World Health Organization’s world alliance for patient safety in 2004. In doing so he put an authoritative stamp on growing recognition that when mistakes are made, open disclosure and apologising to patients are essential for safe, effective medicine. Open disclosure is full and frank communication with a patient and his or her family after an incident that may have resulted in harm to that patient.

Despite widespread support for open disclosure, along with growing public appetite for "revelation, discussion, and resolution,"1 some are concerned that doctors’ behaviour changes little in the aftermath of an adverse incident. In the United Kingdom, the National Patient Safety Agency’s "being open" policy was welcomed when it was introduced in 2005.2 The policy requires trusts to provide information, support, and training to encourage doctors to give . . . [Full text of this article]


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