OPEN DISCLOSURE of the things that don’t go to plan
Every patient has the right to be treated with care, consideration and dignity.
At Aesthetic Day Surgery we respect this right and we are committed to improving the safety and quality of the care we deliver. That is why we have a policy of open disclosure for when things don’t go as planned with the care we provide.
Part of improving the way we manage these situations is by being open with our patients, their family and their carers about what happened.
When would open disclosure occur?
Most things that don’t go to plan are minor or are found before they affect the patient.
For things which don’t result in harm, your doctor or nurse will talk with you about what went wrong in the same way they talk to you about other aspects of your treatment. They will talk with you as soon as they are aware of the incident.
If a patient is seriously harmed, they will be informed as soon as possible, and an open disclosure meeting will be held.
If anyone thinks a serious incident has occurred which has not been acknowledged, please tell your surgeon, anaesthetist or nursing staff.
What is the benefit of Open Disclosure?
Open disclosure is designed for when things don’t go to plan, it will:
- Inform you, and help you to understand what went wrong with your care
- Let you know what is being done to investigate what went wrong
- Explain the consequences of the incident for you and your care
- Assist you with support you might need
- Let you know the steps we will be taking to make care safer in the future
