Human factors
A human factors approach in surgery
Dr. Richard Sherry, a resident clinical psychologist for the Confederation of British Surgeons (CBS), discusses the human factors and psychological insights that could lead to an important revolution in better understanding the human dimension and its critical role within the demands of surgery.
Organisational and team dynamics for surgeons and surgical teams have always brought challenges. Transitioning to a more holistic preventative care model might feel like a daunting shift, but it allows us to take a step back to analyse how we might redesign the complete procedure from a human factors’ psychology perspective. This not only benefits surgical teams and surgeons, but also patients and their families. Placing all individuals, both surgical and health consumer, within a team at the centre of a process is the first step to developing new processes and improving outcomes for all.
It is a deep privilege to be appointed
as resident clinical psychologist for the Confederation of British Surgeons (CBS). This position presents an exciting opportunity to redevelop my longstanding work with the military, police, and firefighters, and in the development of aerospace psychology, while leveraging my existing clinical understanding. My previous roles offered significant challenges within highly technical and intensely stressful occupationally driven critical environments. It feels a significant privilege to be working
with such inspiring and creative individuals on CBS’s Executive Board. Together, we will look at ways to develop tailored approaches and toolkits that work with the particular needs of surgeons, anaesthetists, and surgical teams. It is essential to work collaboratively with other allied experts in order to better understand ways to address problematic issues within the NHS, including unprecedented waiting times, staff burnout, and high turnover. These are interrelated difficulties with a wide-reaching impact. This document outlines our opening dialogue with the professional surgical community, as well as mapping out how we can work to develop effective and expert approaches to improve both national and international health care. By collaborating with CBS, we are able to
work together to develop and implement these core health approaches and principles.
The human factors approach We will be looking at how we can improve the surgical process from the very beginning. Bringing more meaning to all involved is an important goal. Ensuring high-quality and meticulous patient care, while navigating the challenges associated with the precision of technical interventions, presents significant trials in creating experiences that are truly beneficial and improved for everyone. However, just as medical and surgical innovation has evolved, these domains with human factors, and psychological insights and expertise, might lead to an important revolution in better understanding the human dimension, and its critical role within the demands of surgery.
Managing more challenge and complexity Surgical waiting lists are currently at an unprecedented high. There are seven million people waiting for life-changing procedures. Implementing the goal of significantly improving
care and experience for everyone involved, including operating surgeons, is a challenge. Research shows that since COVID, these demands, and subsequent emotional impact, have increased to a level most likely not seen since wartime. It is important to note that during, for example, WWII, social supports and the relationship to authority were significantly different. Modern pressures on surgeons and surgical teams, e.g. reputationally and medico-legally, contribute to today’s model of concerning levels of stress in an environment that lacks a robust support system. Just as technology has changed, so too have people; we have a new generation of human factors, and these needs addressing at all levels. The pandemic has had a significant impact,
and clear feedback from surgical teams is that the combination of COVID-19, the accumulated stress from working under very stressful conditions, and the backlog of surgical patients has pushed many to their limits. This situation has become so challenging that an unprecedented number of surgeons, particularly senior surgeons, have expressed motivation to retire or even quit the profession
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