We have identified efforts by research ers to investigate interventions which seek to improve information delivery and consideration of information to enhance  informed consent .
The interventions used consistently improve patient knowledge , an important prerequisite for informed consent .
This is encouraging and these measures could be widely employed although we are not able to say with confidence which types of interventions are preferable .
Our results should be interpreted with caution due to the high levels of heterogeneity associated with many of the main analyses although we believe there is broad evidence of beneficial outcomes for patients with the pragmatic application of interventions .
BACKGROUND Achieving informed consent is a core clinical procedure and is required before any surgical or invasive procedure is undertaken .
However , it is a complex process which requires patients be provided with information which they can underst and and retain , opportunity to consider their options , and to be able to express their opinions and ask questions .
There is evidence that at present some patients undergo procedures without informed consent being achieved .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects on patients , clinicians and the healthcare system of interventions to promote informed consent for patients undergoing surgical and other invasive healthcare treatments and procedures .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Informed consent is an important ethical and practical part of patient care .
A randomised trial of conventional versus BAUS procedure-specific consent forms for transurethral resection of prostate.
INTRODUCTION Conventional consent forms often contain incomplete information regarding risks associated with invasive procedures . BAUS has introduced procedure-specific consent forms ( PSCF ) documenting the risks associated with urological procedures . We compared patients ' underst and ing of the risks and benefits of TURP after the consenting process with either conventional documentation or PSCF . PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred patients were r and omised to be consented with either a conventional or PSCF .  After 3 h , their underst and ing was assessed with a question naire asking patients to document the indication and likelihood of symptomatic improvement , estimate frequency of complications and the risk of future re-operation . Data were compared by Mann-Whitney test . RESULTS Fifty patients were r and omised to each group . There was no significant difference in mean age , grade of doctor obtaining consent or time interval from consent to question naire . Both groups accurately predicted the chance of improved symptoms ( median , 80 % ) . There was no significant difference in patients ' median estimation of risk of complications such as incontinence , erectile dysfunction , or retro grade ejaculation . Patients consented with the PSCF predicted the risk of re-operation more accurately ( median answer , 10 % versus 30 % ; P = 0.007 , Mann-Whitney test ) . CONCLUSIONS Recall of data was sub-optimal in both groups . For most data points there was no significant difference in estimation of risks between groups . Those consented with a procedure-specific consent form predicted risk of re-operation at 10 years more accurately . Procedure-specific consent forms offer an advantage over conventional consent in this study . We feel that the provision of a written structured framework allows better informed consent for TURP
We have identified efforts by research ers to investigate interventions which seek to improve information delivery and consideration of information to enhance  informed consent .
The interventions used consistently improve patient knowledge , an important prerequisite for informed consent .
This is encouraging and these measures could be widely employed although we are not able to say with confidence which types of interventions are preferable .
Our results should be interpreted with caution due to the high levels of heterogeneity associated with many of the main analyses although we believe there is broad evidence of beneficial outcomes for patients with the pragmatic application of interventions .
BACKGROUND Achieving informed consent is a core clinical procedure and is required before any surgical or invasive procedure is undertaken .
However , it is a complex process which requires patients be provided with information which they can underst and and retain , opportunity to consider their options , and to be able to express their opinions and ask questions .
There is evidence that at present some patients undergo procedures without informed consent being achieved .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects on patients , clinicians and the healthcare system of interventions to promote informed consent for patients undergoing surgical and other invasive healthcare treatments and procedures .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Informed consent is an important ethical and practical part of patient care .