A deeper dive into safe surgery barriers

Nigel Roberts provides an insight into a second Delphi study investigating the views of operating theatre teams on the surgical safety checklist and Local Safety Standards for Invasive Procedures. The findings suggest there is still much work needed to ensure that the checklist is fully accepted and used in operating theatres.

This paper aims to highlight the findings of a second Delphi study, which sought the views of theatre managers, matrons and clinical educators on the surgical safety checklist and Local Safety Standards for Invasive Procedures (LocSSIPs). The Delphi technique is an iterative multistage process, designed to transform opinion into group consensus. If used systematically and rigorously, the Delphi can contribute significantly to broadening knowledge within the healthcare profession. The second round of the Delphi study revisited several questions from round one, to further understand the responses received. (The results of the first round were published in the February edition of CSJ.)¹

The initial findings showed that the reasons for the debrief not being undertaken were due to all team members not being present, staff wanting to go home, current culture, and list over runs. Participants felt that training on the checklist should be mandated and annual; learning from other organisations was seen as key; and the NHS needs to revise how the checklist is currently being delivered by being more proactive and by providing the foundations of an electronic checklist to all NHS Trusts.