How do I use it?

Presented by: Christopher Bull

When you come to hospital to see a health care professional, usually one of our consultants a shared decision may be made that you require an operation or procedure. This could be anything from major surgery involving a stay in hospital or where you’re in and out in the day.

We’ll discuss possible operation or procedure with you. This is where we start the consent process. We’ll open up the consent form on a computer and explain the purpose of what we want to achieve, the benefits of that approach, as well as the risks or alternative management options. When we’ve completed this form together, you will be asked if you are ready to sign your consent to go ahead with the operation or procedure. If you’re feeling completely confident this is right for you, the digital consent form can be signed there and then at the consultation. Alternatively, you may wish to speak with family or friends before you sign, in which case you can ask for it to be sent to you electronically so that you can sign it later.

Let’s consider these two options in a little more detail.

If you’d like to sign the consent form in clinic you will be given the opportunity to sign directly on a screen with your finger or on a digital signature pad with a digital pen. Either way we’ll help you through the process. We’ve produced a separate piece of guidance further down on this microsite for those with visual impairment to reassure them about this as well.

If you’ve selected to sign your consent form later, you’ll receive an email and/or text with a unique link from the consent system inviting you to view your personal consent form. Take your time. Read it through. Discuss with family or friends and when you’re ready there’s an easy way to sign electronically and save this to our system, so we know to carry on in planning your operation. You of course have the option not to sign, but please remember that this means we cannot go ahead with the operation or procedure and you might need to consider other treatment options.

Once everything is signed, our system will then automatically send the signed consent back to your hospital record. This means that we’ll have access to it when you come into hospital for your operation or procedure. On that day, members of the clinical team will discuss your consent with you and the clinician who will perform the operation or procedure will electronically counter sign your form.

Thanks for listening.