Should I apologise if I make a mistake in the SJT?

Yes, always. In Dealing with Errors and Complaints MSRA scenarios, a sincere apology is mandatory under the Duty of Candour. It is not an admission of legal liability, but a professional requirement to maintain trust.

What is the first thing to do after an error?

Secure patient safety. Before you report, apologise, or document, you must mitigate any immediate harm caused by the error (e.g., stopping the infusion, assessing the patient). In the MSRA, 'Make Safe' is always the top-ranking action.

Dealing with Errors & Complaints – Introduction (MSRA SJT)

Dealing with Errors & Complaints

Dealing with Errors and Complaints MSRA

This guide acts as your central hub for Dealing with Errors and Complaints MSRA scenarios. In the Professional Dilemmas paper, you are tested on your ability to navigate the aftermath of a mistake, moving from immediate patient safety to long-term system learning.

🎥 Video Lesson (YouTube)

🎧 Podcast Lesson (Spotify / Apple / Amazon)

Dealing with errors, mistakes, and complaints is one of the highest-yield domains in the MSRA SJT because it tests your ability to act with honesty, accountability, professionalism and patient-centredness — even when things go wrong.

The SJT rewards actions that protect patients immediately, maintain trust, and follow GMC Good Medical Practice, including the duty of candour, transparency, safe escalation, and supportive behaviour towards colleagues.

This section teaches you how to respond when things go wrong, how to disclose errors safely, how to learn from adverse events, and how to maintain professionalism during complaints or investigations.

🌟 What this section covers

You will learn the core principles behind:

• Responding to Patient Complaints

How to acknowledge concerns, offer an apology, communicate openly, and guide patients through formal processes while maintaining professionalism.

• Disclosing Mistakes (Duty of Candour)

What to do immediately after an error, who to inform, how to communicate honestly, and what steps ensure patient safety.

• Reflective Practice After an Error

How to reflect safely and constructively (without assigning blame), using GMC-aligned reflective frameworks.

• Learning from Adverse Events

Identifying systems issues, documenting clearly, escalating risks, and participating in quality improvement.

• Supporting Colleagues After Incidents

How to support colleagues compassionately while still maintaining objectivity and prioritising patient safety.

🔑 Why this topic matters for the MSRA

Errors and complaints test some of the exam’s most important behaviours:

Immediate action to protect safety
Honesty and transparency
Clear communication and apology
Non-judgemental support for colleagues
Escalating and reporting appropriately
Avoiding blame, defensiveness, or delay

The MSRA consistently punishes actions that minimise harm, delay action, avoid responsibility, or hide mistakes.

This section will give you the frameworks you need to recognise safe, high-scoring behaviours instantly.

⚡ High-Yield Mini Framework: SAFE-ERR

A rapid, exam-safe approach for error/complaint scenarios:

S – Secure safety first (correct the issue immediately)
A – Alert a senior / escalate early
F – Fact-find briefly (without delaying action)
E – Explain openly + apologise when appropriate

E – Enter documentation (accurate, neutral, factual)
R – Report via Datix / policy
R – Reflect + learn (no blame)

This model applies to nearly every “mistake”, “complaint”, “colleague error”, or “adverse event” question.

🎧 Where to revise this topic

✔ “Duty of Candour” and “Openness & Honesty” GMC summaries
✔ SJT deep-dive podcasts (Mastering the MSRA – Part 1 & 3)
✔ Ranking sets on professionalism + safety
✔ Best-of-3 sets on conflict, complaints, escalation

🧠 Quick Exam Takeaways

Always protect the patient immediately
Never hide errors
Apology + explanation + next steps = high scoring
Support colleagues but never at the expense of safety
Follow policies (Datix, escalation, documentation)
Reflect using objective, non-judgmental language

Q1: How should errors be handled in the MSRA SJT?
Prioritise safety, escalate early, be honest, apologise appropriately, document clearly, and report incidents as per policy.

Q2: What is the duty of candour?
A GMC requirement to be open and honest with patients when things go wrong, including apology, explanation, and next steps.

Q3: How should I respond to patient complaints?
Acknowledge concerns, apologise, provide clear information, and guide patients towards formal complaints processes without defensiveness.

Q4: Does supporting colleagues override patient safety?
No. Offer compassionate support, but escalate errors or risks immediately.