Abstract
Objective: To determine whether patient information leaflets improve patient recall during the process of informed consent.
Design: Prospective randomised controlled trial which compared a group of patients who were posted a patient information leaflet with those given verbal consent only.
Setting: Orthopaedic Unit of a District General Hospital
Patients: 110 patients were selected, of which 57 were randomly allocated to receive patient information leaflets through the post and 53 were given verbal consent only.
Outcome Measure: The recall of information given to the patient. This was tested using a questionnaire on admission. Each patient was allocated a score out of ten.
Results: There was a significant difference between the group who received patient information leaflets compared to those who did not (P< 0.0001, CI 2.0 to 3.1).
Conclusion: Patient information leaflets are a useful tool for the surgeon to improve the recall of the information given to the patient, in order to facilitate informed consent.
Correspondence should be addressed to Mr Tim Wilton, BASK at the Royal College of Surgeons, 35–43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PE.
