Explanation to relatives on CDI death
Health boards should ensure that if a patient dies with CDI either as a cause of death or as a condition contributing to the death, relatives are provided with a clear explanation.
- The Scottish Government's response emphasised person-centred care, including ensuring families receive clear explanations when CDI is a cause of or contributes to death. The 'What Matters to You?' approach supports staff in communicating sensitively with bereaved families.
- The Health and Social Care Standards require that patients and families have sufficient knowledge and understanding of their health care, including information about outcomes and causes of death (Health and Social Care Standards (https://www.gov.scot/publications/health-social-care-standards-support-life/)).
- The Charter of Patient Rights and Responsibilities (revised June 2022) supports the right to clear information and explanation about care and outcomes.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedSection 4.2 of the Scottish Government's response emphasizes person-centred care, with a key aim to ensure people have sufficient knowledge and understanding of their health care. The "Must Do with Me" elements of person-centred care include ensuring people receive the information they need and personalized contact, with services organized around their needs. This framework supports providing clear explanations to relatives, particularly when a patient dies with CDI.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
QEUH Oversight Board found that Duty of Candour was not formally activated for any of the specific infection instances at QEUH despite deaths of children linked to hospital environment. This directly contradicts Vale of Leven recommendation for clear explanations to families about infection-related deaths.
View detailed findings
The failure to activate Duty of Candour within NHS GGC for infection-related incidents is a significant implementation gap given the Vale of Leven Inquiry's emphasis on family communication.
Statutory Duty of Candour established under Health (Tobacco Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016. Duty of Candour Procedure (Scotland) Regulations 2018 require organisations to inform families about safety incidents, apologise and provide explanations including when CDI contributes to death.
View detailed findings
Non-statutory guidance revised March 2025. However, QEUH failures (2015-2019) showed Duty of Candour was not formally activated for infection incidents within the same health board (NHS GGC) where the Vale of Leven outbreak occurred.