Is there a standardised consent process within the surgical specialties?

Area of Science:

• Medical Law and Ethics
• Surgical Practice
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Informed consent is a cornerstone of surgical practice.
• Landmark legal cases emphasize a staged approach to consent.
• Current surgical consent practices require evaluation against established guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the homogeneity of surgical consent practices in the UK.
• To compare current consent procedures with national guidelines.
• To identify variations in how surgeons obtain informed consent.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous online survey using Google Forms was distributed to surgeons across the UK.
• Data collection focused on principles derived from the Montgomery guidelines.
• Key areas surveyed included consent timing, patient information, and use of risk communication tools.

Main Results:

• Over 325 responses were analyzed, revealing significant practice variations.
• A majority of consent (50.8%) occurred on the day of surgery, with only 27.3% involving scheduled meetings.
• While 65.8% routinely provided copies of consent forms, only 32.9% used pre-printed forms, and 64.3% rarely used specific risk percentages.

Conclusions:

• Significant heterogeneity exists in surgical consent practices despite clear best practice guidance.
• Most surgeons desire a more robust consent process but face challenges with time and infrastructure.
• Addressing systemic barriers is crucial for enhancing the quality of informed consent in surgery.