Reporting a Mistake

When reporting a mistake, there are four key steps a doctor must follow:

1. Ensure the patient is safe (the GMC wrote in GMP: “you must put patient safety first at all times”).

2. Duty of candour “If a mistake causes harm, you must apologise and explain it to the patient”. However, if the mistake affects the patient in any way, you should explain and apologise to the patient.

3. Seek support. Discuss the mistake with a senior and reflect on in.

4. Ensure the adequate paperwork is completed: patient notes updated, incident/DAYTIX form filled in, and write a reflection piece on the incident (if appropriate).