Informed consent is vital to good surgical practice. Pain, sedative medication and psychological distress resulting from trauma are likely to adversely affect a patient's ability to understand and retain information thus impairing the quality of the consent process. This study aims to assess whether provision of written information improves trauma patient's recall of the risks associated with their surgery.

121 consecutive trauma patients were randomised to receive structured verbal information or structured verbal information with the addition of supplementary written information at the time of obtaining consent for their surgery. Patients were followed up post-operatively (mean 3.2 days) with a questionnaire to assess recall of risks discussed during the consent interview and satisfaction with the consent process.

Recall of risks discussed in the consent interview was found to be significantly improved in the group receiving written and verbal information compared to verbal information alone (mean questionnaire score 41% vs. 64%), p=0.0014 using the Mann-Whitney U test. Patient satisfaction with the consent process was significantly improved in the group receiving written and verbal information, 97.9% of patients reported that they understood the risks of surgery when they signed the consent form compared to 83.2% who received verbal information alone (p=0.01). The majority of patients who received written information reported finding it helpful (93.8%) and most of the patients who did not receive written information reported they would have found it useful had it been offered (66%).

Patients awaiting surgery following trauma can pose a challenge to adequately inform about benefits conferred, the likely post operative course and potential risks. Written information is a simple and cost-effective means to improve the consent process and was popular with patients.