Aims and objectives
Human error remains an inescapable cause of harm to patients.
Safety checklists are a simple and effective method of reducing these risks by formalising a peri-procedural routine to reduce the likelihood of simple mistakes.
Surgical checklists in the operating room have been established practice in the UK for several years.
In 2008,
the WHO published guidance,
which formed the basis for a safety checklist produced in 2009,
with evidence of statistically significant improvements in patient morbidity and mortality.
Inpatient complication rates fell from 11% to...
Methods and materials
The RCR sent a survey to all hospital Trust and Health Boards in the UK.
The survey asked about:
Uniformity of checklist use for interventions
Patient information provided prior to a procedure
Whether there is a local policy for use of checklists
Which procedures are included
Whether a national form or local modification of checklists is used
Use of a checklist with different forms of anaesthesia
Whether checklists are completed by hand or are electronic
Whether a permanent record is kept
Recording of consent and...
Results
109 out of 177 (62%) units responded to the survey.
The vast majority of these units provide interventions in CT,
USS,
fluoroscopic,
breast and radiology intervention suites.
Patient information:
The proportion of units providing patient information sheets varies from 73% in intervention procedures to 65% in fluoroscopic interventions.
Uniformity of Checklist use (Fig 5):
48% provide procedural checklists for all invasive procedures.
50% use checklists for some procedures.
2% do not use checklists.
Departmental policy:
58% of trusts which use a checklist have a supporting...
Conclusion
The culture of safety checks in radiology departments in the UK appears quite well established.
Whilst the process is now well embedded in intervention suites there is variable practice in the use of safety checks in other radiology interventions.
Implementation of safety checks is now required in all invasive procedures in the UK.
Checklists are only one aspect of this process.
Most units are now providing information to patients prior to procedures to improve the consent process.
However checklist documentation seems an inevitable part of...
Personal information
Dr.
Timothy Ariyanayagam,
Department of Radiology,
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Mr.
KarlDrinkwater,
Audit Officer,
Royal College of Radiologists
Professor David Howlett,
Department of Radiology,
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Dr.
Paul Malcolm,
Department of Radiology,
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
References
Haynes AB,
Weiser TG,
Berry WR,
Lipsitz SR,
Breizat AH,
Dellinger EP,
Herbosa T,
Joseph S,
Kibatala PL,
Lapitan MC,
Merry AF,
Moorthy K,
Reznick RK,
Taylor B,
Gawande AA; Safe Surgery Saves Lives Study GroupA surgical safety checklist to reduce morbidity and mortality in a global population..
N Engl J Med.
2009 Jan 29;360(5):491-9
World Health Organisation.
Safe Surgery Saves Lives FAQ. http://www.who.int/patientsafety/safesurgery/knowledge_base/faq.pdf
The Royal College of Radiologists.
Standards for the NPSA and RCR safety checklist for radiological interventions. London: The Royal College of...