Quality of operation notes in orthopaedic hip arthroplasty surgery: are we complying with British Orthopaedic Association's guide to good practice?

This retrospective audit evaluates the compliance of our operation notes with the British Orthopaedic Society Primary Hip Arthroplasty 'A guide to good practice' using a 24-data point question (BOA 2006). Ninety-nine notes reviewed, of which 94% had patient identifiers, the surgical team was documented in 92.5%, post-operative instruction in 97%, and prosthesis stability in 97% of cases. Despite high standards, we did not achieve the 100% gold standard. We suggest that increased awareness of the 24-point BOA guideline via education and proformas would help to ensure better practice