Duty of Candour - what it is and what it could mean
Under Pressure 19 September 2025
Duty of Candour - what it is and what it could mean
After a number of delays the Public Office (Accountability) Bill was introduced to Parliament this week. It will be known as the Hillsborough Law and has been discussed a lot since it was announced as part of the Government’s priorities last year. Many have said it should not be necessary but after challenges highlighted in many public inquiries it was clear something was needed. I pay tribute to the families who have relentlessly pursued this as an important legacy.
What does it mean? In the introduction to the bill it sums it up as a bill to:
Impose a duty on public authorities and public officials to act with candour, transparency and frankness; to make provision for the enforcement of that duty in their dealings with inquiries and investigations; to require public authorities to promote and take steps to maintain ethical conduct within all parts of the authority; to create an offence in relation to public authorities and public officials who mislead the public; to create further offences in relation to the misconduct of persons who hold public office and to abolish the common law offence of misconduct in public office; to make provision enabling persons to participate at inquiries and investigations where the conduct of public authorities may be in issue; and for connected purposes.
The concept of a duty of candour has existed for many years in health services but with a number of high profile incidents there are clearly weaknesses. From a communication perspective it is hard to accept that public officials would deliberately ‘mislead the public’ but it does happen and it can be with or without our knowledge. If as communicators we are not being given the full picture we can be failing to meet the duty of candour, we can potentially mislead and we can be part of the problem.
When this becomes law I would urge every communicator working with public authorities to ensure they challenge and do not carry out actions they are uncomfortable with. It is not easy as sometimes the challenge could mean the end of your employment. But any communicator who does stand up needs the full support of the profession and hopefully the law.
So, what do we do now? I would ensure you watch the progress of the bill through Parliament and understand if it gets amended and what that means. I am working on a blog to highlight the key points which I will share on my Amandacomms blog here. (But due to the detail this is likely to be over the weekend). And start to have discussions with your senior leaders about what it is and what it means, look at the information and communication you are being asked to share or develop now and check whether it would be duty of candour compliant. Are you missing out vital pieces of information? Are you being less than transparent? Is the communication grasping the thorn of the problem you are experiencing?
I really hope that the Hillsborough Law does have a positive impact on the way public authorities operate. And be aware that the bill also highlights those who provide consultancy support to public bodies, they are also covered by the law and the potential for criminal action. This is the time where communicators can really be part of the solution, get it right, be open and challenge where necessary.
There is more to come on this and I will provide updates in the coming weeks through this newsletter.
10 Minutes With
Amanda talks to Dr Susan Grantham about her interesting research that has recently been published looking at disasters and the role TikTok played. Find out what she found during the short conversation here.
September Training - final spaces
There are just a couple of spaces left on the next training session Amanda is running. This two hours will consider social media, fake news and how to move quickly when a crisis develops. There will be lots of discussion, a chance to test your thinking and some recent case studies. To find out more or book a space email office@amandacolemancomms.co.uk
Gender and crisis management survey
The survey shared by Amanda is looking to gather lived experiences about gender and how it relates to crisis management and communication. More than 100 people have replied with their views. It will remain available to complete during September. If you have some thoughts you can share find the survey here.
In Brief:
Amanda spoke to Crisis Response Journal for a podcast that looked at the importance of authenticity and cultural sensitivity to communication. Listen here.
In a recent blog Amanda considers the role of reputation in making difficult decisions and how it relates to personal standing. This comes after the decision from swimmer Ben Proud. Read more here.
A new report has considered the response to the 2021 Oxford High School shooting in Oakland County, US. It has found that four deaths could have been prevented with quicker actions. Read more about it here.
Campus Safety magazine considers the challenge of balancing safety and verifying information when there are claims of an active shooter situation. Read more here.
CEO World unpicks the issues behind the Cracker Barrel rebrand and subsequent return to the original logo. Read more here.
Diary Dates:
On October 3, Amanda will be joining a panel to discuss becoming a chartered PR practitioner. Find out more here.
On Tuesday, October 7 Amanda will be running the popular Getting Maximum Impact from a Disappearing Budget webinar for the PRCA. To find out more check out the training pages here.
On October 16 Amanda’s next training session will be focused on getting the most from working with the media during a crisis. What can we do and how can we be ready. To book a space email office@amandacolemancomms.co.uk