Please enter both an email address and a password.

Account login

Need to reset your password?  Enter the email address which you used to register on this site (or your membership/contact number) and we'll email you a link to reset it. You must complete the process within 2hrs of receiving the link.

We've sent you an email

An email has been sent to Simply follow the link provided in the email to reset your password. If you can't find the email please check your junk or spam folder and add no-reply@rcseng.ac.uk to your address book.

New guidance for best practice in surgical documentation

07 Sep 2022

Best practice guidance for the effective documentation of five common surgical procedures is now available, to help improve the investigation of episodes of care if they lead to patient safety incidents or NHS litigation claims.

Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) has worked with NHS Resolution, the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain (ASGBI), and the British Association of Endocrine & Thyroid Surgeons (BAETS) to create the guides, outlining how clear documentation of procedures can support the resolution process and provide the best care and satisfactory outcomes for patients.

The guides cover laparoscopic appendicectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia, laparotomy and laparoscopic bowel resection surgery and thyroidectomy, and include case studies to illustrate the importance and impact of improving documentation. They can be found in GIRFT’s FutureNHS workspace (log in required) and Best Practice Library.

The current cost of litigation against the NHS in England is £128.6bn and activity is increasing. The new guidance has arisen from a review of claims data with NHS Resolution, plus feedback from NHS panel firm lawyers and expert witnesses, showing that poor documentation often makes the investigation of episodes of care leading to incidents and claims difficult and can prevent the defence of potentially good clinical practice.

Share this page: