Duty of candour requires better protection for nurses

The report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry has a statutory duty of candor at its heart and the requirement for openness and transparency running through most of its 290 recommendations. While many will consider such a legal duty essential if a repeat of the Mid Staffordshire scandal is to be avoided, the duty is unlikely to be effective unless nurses can discharge their obligations without fear of recrimination. This article argues that current protection for nurses who report poor practice is inadequate and must be improved if the openness and transparency recommended is to become a reality in the NHS.