ABSTRACT
Successful outcomes in surgery depend on knowledge, skills and judgement. While this chapter concentrates on technical skill, it is important for the modern surgeon to remember that non-technical skills, such as communication, empathy and teamwork, are but a few of the skills required. We used to think of technical skill starting with ‘knife to skin’; it is also important to realise that a successful outcome for a patient is dependent on a surgeon who takes responsibility to make sure that the patient reaches that point, with all factors, such as positioning and equipment, considered first. Teamwork includes adherence to modern ‘human factors’ principles, such as team brief and debrief, and the use of safety checklists.
