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Attitudes to consent--a national survey
1Department of Paediatric Surgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital, WC1N 3JH London, UK.
Journal of Pediatric Surgery
|February 17, 2006
Summary
Procedure-specific consent forms (PSCFs) are not widely used by UK pediatric surgeons, despite legal implications. This study surveyed PSCF usage for common pediatric surgical procedures, finding low adoption rates.
Area of Science:
- Medical Law
- Surgical Consent
- Paediatric Surgery
Background:
- The Chester v Afshar case highlighted the need for thorough patient consent in surgery.
- Disclosure of all serious risks, irrespective of frequency, is now a consideration in medical litigation.
- Procedure-specific consent forms (PSCFs) offer a potential solution for comprehensive risk disclosure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of PSCF use among paediatric surgeons in the United Kingdom.
- To assess the current practices regarding surgical consent in paediatric surgery.
Main Methods:
- A postal questionnaire was distributed to members of the British Association of Pediatric Surgery (BAPS).
- Consultants were surveyed on their use of PSCFs for four common paediatric procedures: central venous access, inguinal herniotomy, orchidopexy, and pyloromyotomy.
Main Results:
- A high response rate of 89% (108/122) was achieved, with responses from all UK paediatric surgery centres.
- A significant majority (79%) of respondents reported not using PSCFs.
- Only 19% of paediatric surgeons currently utilize PSCFs for the surveyed procedures.
Conclusions:
- PSCFs provide accurate and consistent information for families regarding surgical risks.
- The uptake of PSCFs among UK paediatric surgeons is currently low.
- The ongoing trial of PSCFs in one unit and potential future litigation may influence national adoption rates.
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