Informed consent in clinical practice: pre-registration house officers' knowledge, difficulties and the need for postgraduate training.

In clinical practice consent is often obtained by junior doctors. This study investigates the involvement of pre-registration house officers (PRHOs) in the process of obtaining consent, the supervision they receive and their knowledge on the subject. Some 74% of the PRHOs in post completed the questionnaire; 68% had often or sometimes obtained consent during their year as PRHO; 18% stated that on the occasions when they had obtained consent they were always the only person eliciting consent; 62% of the doctors perceived some lack of knowledge with regard to the nature of the procedure as a difficulty. Despite a comprehensive undergraduate programme in ethics, law and communication there is a need for applied education regarding the clinical procedures for which PRHOs are obtaining consent.