How Compliant Are Neurosurgical Operative Notes at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with the RCS England Guidelines? A Retrospective Audit

By Krisada Ooi, Beatrice Teoh, Chandrasekaran Kaliaperumal

EMS300 Student Conference 2026

Slide 1: How compliant are neurosurgical operative notes at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with the RCS England guidelines? A retrospective audit. A full description follows.

Summary

The audit evaluates the compliance of neurosurgical operative notes at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with RCS England guidelines. Conducted over two cycles, it revealed an overall compliance rate of 53.7%, with notable variations across different compliance categories. The study highlights the effectiveness of standardised templates, achieving a 25.4% uptake, and suggests that structured documentation can enhance quality and consistency. Recommendations include integrating these templates into electronic health records and reinforcing documentation standards in trainee education. Limitations include the single-centre nature of the audit, which may affect generalisability.