Reviewing the Duty of Candour – Failure or Flourishing
16th March 2026
2:30pm – 5:30pm (Arrival/ Registration from 2:15pm)
Swissotel Sydney Maple Room
When a patient safety event occurs, how do hospitals and health services respond – and what can we learn from the process?
This session brings together medical and legal perspectives to examine how adverse events are identified, reviewed, and communicated. Drawing on real-world examples, we’ll explore what happens from the moment an incident is classified through to open disclosure, regulatory reporting, and review.
With more than 438,000 adverse events reported in Australian public hospitals in 2021–2022, understanding how Serious Adverse Patient Safety Events (SAPSE) and Sentinel Events are defined and investigated is vital for both clinicians and lawyers. We’ll discuss the practical operation of the Statutory Duty of Candour, how open disclosure supports transparency and trust, and what happens when these systems intersect with medico-legal processes.
Through a case study and comparison with the UK’s experience, we’ll show how collaboration, early communication, and system-level learning can strengthen outcomes for patients, practitioners, and health services alike.
Facilitator: Bree Knoester, Principal and Founder, Brave Legal
Bree Knoester is the Principal Lawyer and Founder of Brave Legal. With more than 20 years’ experience supporting patients after safety events as both a barrister and solicitor, she has a deep understanding of how medicine and law intersect. A trauma-informed lawyer and advocate, Bree focuses on promoting open communication in the aftermath of adverse events. She regularly teaches on expert evidence and giving evidence in court, helping doctors and lawyers better understand each other’s roles and responsibilities.