Background: Healthcare professionals can be seriously affected when they are involved in major clinical incidents. The impact of such incidents on staff is of particular relevance to surgery, as the operating room is one of the highest-risk areas for serious complications. This qualitative study aimed to assess the personal and professional impact of surgical complications on surgeons.Methods: This single time point study involved semistructured, individual interviews with general and vascular surgeons, consultants and senior registrars from two National Health Service organizations in London, UK.Results: Twenty-seven surgeons participated. Many were seriously affected by major surgical complications. Surgeons' practice was also often affected, not always in the best interest of their patients. The surgeons' reactions depended on the preventability of the complications, their personality and experience, patient outcomes and patients' reactions, as well as colleagues' reactions and the culture of the institution. Discussing complications, deconstructing the incidents and rationalizing were the most commonly quoted coping mechanisms. Institutional support was generally described as inadequate, and the participants often reported the existence of strong institutional blame cultures. Suggestions for supporting surgeons in managing the personal impact of complications included better mentoring, teamwork approaches, blame-free opportunities for the discussion of complications, and structures aimed at the human aspects of complications. Conclusion:Those involved in the management of surgical services need to consider how to improve support for surgeons in the aftermath of major surgical incidents.

ObjectiveSurgical complications may affect patients psychologically due to challenges such as prolonged recovery or long-lasting disability. Psychological distress could further delay patients’ recovery as stress delays wound healing and compromises immunity. This review investigates whether surgical complications adversely affect patients’ postoperative well-being and the duration of this impact.MethodsThe primary data sources were ‘PsychINFO’, ‘EMBASE’ and ‘MEDLINE’ through OvidSP (year 2000 to May 2012). The reference lists of eligible articles were also reviewed. Studies were eligible if they measured the association of complications after major surgery from 4 surgical specialties (ie, cardiac, thoracic, gastrointestinal and vascular) with adult patients’ postoperative psychosocial outcomes using validated tools or psychological assessment. 13 605 articles were identified. 2 researchers independently extracted information from the included articles on study aims, participants’ characteristics, study design, surgical procedures, surgical complications, psychosocial outcomes and findings. The studies were synthesised narratively (ie, using text). Supplementary meta-analyses of the impact of surgical complications on psychosocial outcomes were also conducted.Results50 studies were included in the narrative synthesis. Two-thirds of the studies found that patients who suffered surgical complications had significantly worse postoperative psychosocial outcomes even after controlling for preoperative psychosocial outcomes, clinical and demographic factors. Half of the studies with significant findings reported significant adverse effects of complications on patient psychosocial outcomes at 12 months (or more) postsurgery. 3 supplementary meta-analyses were completed, 1 on anxiety (including 2 studies) and 2 on physical and mental quality of life (including 3 studies). The latter indicated statistically significantly lower physical and mental quality of life (p<0.001) for patients who suffered surgical complications.ConclusionsSurgical complications appear to be a significant and often long-term predictor of patient postoperative psychosocial outcomes. The results highlight the importance of attending to patients’ psychological needs in the aftermath of surgical complications.

Results are consistent with previous research: Members of the MCC are positive about the benefits of MCCs, although improving the way MCCs work is a goal.

Background In recent years, patient-focused interventions have been introduced aimed at increasing patient involvement in safetyrelated behaviours. However, patientsÕ attitudes towards these interventions and comfort in participating in the recommended behaviours remain largely unexplored.

This study has presented what principle programme coordinators across 20 NHS organizations considered to be the key strategies to sustain their own improvement programme and its successes, during the supported phase of the programme and 1 year on. Recommendations are to consider these practical strategies in order to improve chances of maintaining changes and continuing a quality improvement programme beyond the formal cessation of the intervention.

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