Scottish public service organization publishes a template for an effective public apology

Iain Nesbit has pointed out a great template for an effective apology from the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman. Page one (of two) is pictured above. The document is available here in PDF form.

In the Mistake Bank book, we refer to a study showing that acknowledging and apologizing for health-care mistakes significantly reduces lawsuits and hospital legal costs. Of course, that's not the point of an apology, but it is a very valuable side effect - people who believe they are being treated fairly and transparently are more likely to resolve a dispute and less likely to escalate.

And when you need to apologize, use this template. It's excellent.