Table 4 Are there aspects of the consent process that are inappropriate or unnecessary?
From: Anaesthetists' and surgeons' attitudes towards informed consent in the UK: an observational study
| Â | Â | Percentage of participants who agreed (n) | Percentage of participants who disagreed (n) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No | Question | Surgery | Anaesthesia | Surgery | Anaesthesia |
1 | Most patients trust their doctor to decide what is best for them | 22 (13) | 18 (16) | 68 (40) | 60 (53) |
2 | Most patients depend on their doctor to make the decision for them | 19 (11) | 19 (17) | 61 (36) | 52 (46) |
3 | Disclosing information about potentially harmful risks may be worrying and disadvantageous for the patient | 22 (13) | 22 (20) | 66 (39) | 55 (49) |
4 | Informing patients about details of alternative treatment modalities may be confusing | 20 (12) | 38 (34) | 66 (39) | 42 (37) |
5 | Discussion of risks during informed consent may dissuade the patient from undergoing a procedure that may benefit them | 17 (10) | 30 (27) | 64 (38) | 45 (40) |
6 | Most patients do not usually understand all the information given to them during the process of consent | 36 (21) | 37 (33) | 46 (27) | 38 (34) |
7 | Most patients do not usually remember all the information given to them during the process of consent | 56 (33) | 55 (49) | 27 (16) | 26 (23) |