WHO Checklist and Surgical Mortality in Scotland
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Has the WHO surgical checklist improved patient outcomes across NHS Scotland? An analysis of the impact of implementing the checklist on postoperative surgical mortality.
IRAS ID
196391
Contact name
Manoj Kumar
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen/ NHS Grampian
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Surgery remains an integral component of modern medical management of a plethora of different diseases and pathologies. The aim of any such intervention is to relieve symptoms and improve patient outcome. However, every surgical procedure performed has an associated risk of morbidity and mortality. These risks are increased by patient specific factors such as co-morbidities, extent of disease and patient lifestyles. However, another key potential source of risk to the patient are factors associated with the environment in which they are cared. Indeed, morbidity and even mortality can be iatrogenic.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) pre-operative surgical checklist has been implemented internationally. This aims to ensure safer surgical procedures by establishing a preoperative pause in which key facts and processes relating to the patient and the proposed operation are confirmed with the entire operative team before commencing any intervention in which harm could potentially ensue. This checklist was rolled out across Scotland between 2008-2010 and is now an integral part of the pre-operative surgical process across all specialties and hospital boards of the country.
When compared to 2008, the all cause postoperative mortality in 2014 in Scotland was reduced by 18.9%. (ISD Scotland: http://www.isdscotland.org/index.asp). In this project, we aim to address whether components of this reduction in mortality can be attributable to the implementation of the pre-operative surgical checklist. We are specifically interested in determining if altering the preoperative surgical process can observably improve clinical outcome nationally.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EM/0309
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion