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Changing practices in the consent process for nose and throat procedures: a three-year study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2008

S E McDonald ,
N K Chadha  and
R S Mills
S E McDonald*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Torbay Hospital, Torquay, UK
N K Chadha
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter, UK
R S Mills
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr Stephen E McDonald, Specialist Registrar in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Torbay Hospital, Lawes Bridge, Torquay TQ2 7AA, UK. E-mail: stevemcdonald001@hotmail.com1
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Abstract

Objectives:

To assess elective surgery consent practices amongst senior house officers from a selection of UK ENT departments, and to compare results with those obtained in a similar survey in 2002.

Methods:

A telephone survey of senior house officers in 40 UK ENT departments was carried out to assess departmental consent policies and knowledge of complications of common ENT operations.

Results:

Over 80 per cent of the senior house officers surveyed remained responsible for obtaining consent for routine surgery. Since 2002, there had been a significant increase in the proportion of departments which: used the Department of Health model consent form; provided patient information leaflets; and had an established informed consent protocol. Senior house officers' knowledge of specific complications remained poor.

Conclusion:

There has been a small change in the practice of obtaining informed consent, in accordance with General Medical Council guidelines. Many senior house officers continue to perform this duty, however, and the majority are poorly trained.

Keywords

Informed ConsentConsent FormsEthics, MedicalOtolaryngologyPostoperative ComplicationsSurgical Procedures, OperativeRisk FactorsQuestionnairesGreat Britain
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 122 , Issue 10 , October 2008 , pp. 1105 - 1108
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2008

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Footnotes

Presented as a poster at the Joint ENT UK & Royal Society of Medicine Summer Meeting, 7–8 September 2005, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

References

1 General Medical Council. http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/current/library/consent.asp [August 2005]Google Scholar
2 British Medical Association. http://web.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/Reportoftheconsentworkingparty [August 2005]Google Scholar
3 Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts. Risk Management Standards and Procedures; Manual and Guidance. Bristol: Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts, 1996Google Scholar
4 Department of Health. NHS Plan. A Plan for Investment. A Plan for Reform. The Command Paper 4818 – 1. London: Department of Health, 2000Google Scholar
5 Chadha, NK, Pratap, P, Narula, AA. Consent processes in common nose and throat procedures. J Laryngol Otol 2003;117:536–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6 SirDonaldson, Liam. Unfinished business: proposals for reform of senior house officer grade – a paper for consulation, London. Department of Health. 2002Google Scholar