diff --git a/src/api/forms/service/callSessionTransaction.js b/src/api/forms/service/callSessionTransaction.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b1fb071
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/api/forms/service/callSessionTransaction.js
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import * as formMetadata from '~/src/api/forms/repositories/form-metadata-repository.js'
+import { logger, partialAuditFields } from '~/src/api/forms/service/shared.js'
+import { client } from '~/src/mongo.js'
+
+/**
+ * Abstraction of a generic service method
+ * @template T
+ * @param {string} formId
+ * @param {(session: ClientSession) => Promise<T>} asyncHandler
+ * @param {FormMetadataAuthor} author
+ * @param {{ start: string; end: string; fail: string }} logs
+ * @returns {Promise<T>}
+ */
+export async function callSessionTransaction(
+  formId,
+  asyncHandler,
+  author,
+  logs
+) {
+  logger.info(logs.start)
+
+  const session = client.startSession()
+
+  try {
+    const sessionReturn = await session.withTransaction(async () => {
+      const handlerReturn = await asyncHandler(session)
+
+      // Update the form with the new draft state
+      await formMetadata.update(
+        formId,
+        { $set: partialAuditFields(new Date(), author) },
+        session
+      )
+
+      return handlerReturn
+    })
+    logger.info(logs.end)
+
+    return sessionReturn
+  } catch (err) {
+    logger.error(err, logs.fail)
+    throw err
+  } finally {
+    await session.endSession()
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * @import { FormMetadataAuthor } from '@defra/forms-model'
+ * @import { ClientSession } from 'mongodb'
+ */
diff --git a/src/api/forms/service/callSessionTransaction.test.js b/src/api/forms/service/callSessionTransaction.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..04d7d484
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/api/forms/service/callSessionTransaction.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import Boom from '@hapi/boom'
+import { pino } from 'pino'
+
+import * as formMetadata from '~/src/api/forms/repositories/form-metadata-repository.js'
+import { formMetadataDocument } from '~/src/api/forms/service/__stubs__/service.js'
+import { callSessionTransaction } from '~/src/api/forms/service/callSessionTransaction.js'
+import { getAuthor } from '~/src/helpers/get-author.js'
+import { prepareDb } from '~/src/mongo.js'
+
+jest.mock('~/src/helpers/get-author.js')
+jest.mock('~/src/api/forms/repositories/form-metadata-repository.js')
+jest.mock('~/src/mongo.js')
+
+jest.useFakeTimers().setSystemTime(new Date('2020-01-01'))
+describe('lists', () => {
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    await prepareDb(pino())
+  })
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.mocked(formMetadata.get).mockResolvedValue(formMetadataDocument)
+  })
+
+  describe('callSessionTransaction', () => {
+    const id = '661e4ca5039739ef2902b214'
+    const author = getAuthor()
+    const dateUsedInFakeTime = new Date('2020-01-01')
+    const defaultAudit = {
+      'draft.updatedAt': dateUsedInFakeTime,
+      'draft.updatedBy': author,
+      updatedAt: dateUsedInFakeTime,
+      updatedBy: author
+    }
+
+    beforeAll(async () => {
+      await prepareDb(pino())
+    })
+
+    it('should update the component', async () => {
+      const transactionResolved = '265a71fd-f2c2-4028-94aa-7c1e2739730f'
+      const transactionHandler = jest
+        .fn()
+        .mockResolvedValue(transactionResolved)
+
+      const dbMetadataSpy = jest.spyOn(formMetadata, 'update')
+
+      const result = await callSessionTransaction(
+        id,
+        transactionHandler,
+        author,
+        {
+          start: 'started',
+          end: 'finished',
+          fail: 'failed'
+        }
+      )
+
+      expect(transactionHandler).toHaveBeenCalled()
+      expect(result).toBe(transactionResolved)
+      const [metaFormId, metaUpdateOperations] = dbMetadataSpy.mock.calls[0]
+      expect(metaFormId).toBe(id)
+
+      expect(metaUpdateOperations.$set).toEqual(defaultAudit)
+    })
+
+    it('should correctly surface the error is the component is not found', async () => {
+      const transactionHandler = jest
+        .fn()
+        .mockRejectedValue(Boom.notFound('Not found'))
+
+      await expect(
+        callSessionTransaction(id, transactionHandler, author, {
+          start: 'started',
+          end: 'finished',
+          fail: 'failed'
+        })
+      ).rejects.toThrow(Boom.notFound('Not found'))
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/api/forms/service/index.test.js b/src/api/forms/service/index.test.js
index bab369a4..42a8053d 100644
--- a/src/api/forms/service/index.test.js
+++ b/src/api/forms/service/index.test.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import Boom from '@hapi/boom'
 import { MongoServerError, ObjectId } from 'mongodb'
 import { pino } from 'pino'
 
+import { buildList } from '~/src/api/forms/__stubs__/definition.js'
 import { InvalidFormDefinitionError } from '~/src/api/forms/errors.js'
 import * as formDefinition from '~/src/api/forms/repositories/form-definition-repository.js'
 import * as formMetadata from '~/src/api/forms/repositories/form-metadata-repository.js'
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ import {
   removeForm,
   updateFormMetadata
 } from '~/src/api/forms/service/index.js'
+import { addListsToDraftFormDefinition } from '~/src/api/forms/service/lists.js'
 import * as formTemplates from '~/src/api/forms/templates.js'
 import { getAuthor } from '~/src/helpers/get-author.js'
 import { prepareDb } from '~/src/mongo.js'
@@ -355,6 +357,42 @@ describe('Forms service', () => {
       )
     })
   })
+
+  describe('high level tests', () => {
+    const defaultAudit = {
+      'draft.updatedAt': dateUsedInFakeTime,
+      'draft.updatedBy': author,
+      updatedAt: dateUsedInFakeTime,
+      updatedBy: author
+    }
+    const dbMetadataSpy = jest.spyOn(formMetadata, 'update')
+    const expectMetadataUpdate = () => {
+      expect(dbMetadataSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
+      const [formId, updateFilter] = dbMetadataSpy.mock.calls[0]
+      expect(formId).toBe(id)
+      expect(updateFilter.$set).toEqual(defaultAudit)
+    }
+
+    describe('addListsToDraftFormDefinition', () => {
+      it('should add a list of lists to the form definition', async () => {
+        const expectedLists = [buildList()]
+        const addListsMock = jest
+          .mocked(formDefinition.addLists)
+          .mockResolvedValueOnce(expectedLists)
+
+        const result = await addListsToDraftFormDefinition(
+          id,
+          expectedLists,
+          author
+        )
+        const [expectedFormId, listToInsert] = addListsMock.mock.calls[0]
+        expect(expectedFormId).toBe(id)
+        expect(listToInsert).toEqual(expectedLists)
+        expect(result).toEqual(expectedLists)
+        expectMetadataUpdate()
+      })
+    })
+  })
 })
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/api/forms/service/lists.js b/src/api/forms/service/lists.js
index e547a844..61573e38 100644
--- a/src/api/forms/service/lists.js
+++ b/src/api/forms/service/lists.js
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 import * as formDefinition from '~/src/api/forms/repositories/form-definition-repository.js'
-import * as formMetadata from '~/src/api/forms/repositories/form-metadata-repository.js'
-import { logger, partialAuditFields } from '~/src/api/forms/service/shared.js'
-import { client } from '~/src/mongo.js'
+import { callSessionTransaction } from '~/src/api/forms/service/callSessionTransaction.js'
 
 /**
  * Add a list of new lists to the draft form definition
@@ -10,48 +8,17 @@ import { client } from '~/src/mongo.js'
  * @param {FormMetadataAuthor} author
  */
 export async function addListsToDraftFormDefinition(formId, lists, author) {
-  logger.info(
-    `Adding lists ${lists.map((list) => list.name).join(', ')} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
+  const listStr = lists.map((list) => list.name).join(', ')
+  return callSessionTransaction(
+    formId,
+    (session) => formDefinition.addLists(formId, lists, session),
+    author,
+    {
+      start: `Adding lists ${listStr} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`,
+      end: `Added lists ${listStr} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`,
+      fail: `Failed to add lists ${listStr} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
+    }
   )
-
-  const session = client.startSession()
-
-  try {
-    const newForm = await session.withTransaction(async () => {
-      // Add the lists to the form definition
-      const returnedLists = await formDefinition.addLists(
-        formId,
-        lists,
-        session
-      )
-
-      const now = new Date()
-      await formMetadata.update(
-        formId,
-        {
-          $set: partialAuditFields(now, author)
-        },
-        session
-      )
-
-      return returnedLists
-    })
-
-    logger.info(
-      `Added lists ${lists.map((list) => list.name).join(', ')} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
-    )
-
-    return newForm
-  } catch (err) {
-    logger.error(
-      err,
-      `Failed to add lists ${lists.map((list) => list.id).join(', ')} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
-    )
-
-    throw err
-  } finally {
-    await session.endSession()
-  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -67,49 +34,16 @@ export async function updateListOnDraftFormDefinition(
   list,
   author
 ) {
-  logger.info(
-    `Updating list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
+  return callSessionTransaction(
+    formId,
+    (session) => formDefinition.updateList(formId, listId, list, session),
+    author,
+    {
+      start: `Updating list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`,
+      end: `Updated list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`,
+      fail: `Failed to update list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
+    }
   )
-
-  const session = client.startSession()
-
-  try {
-    const updatedList = await session.withTransaction(async () => {
-      // Update the list on the form definition
-      const returnedLists = await formDefinition.updateList(
-        formId,
-        listId,
-        list,
-        session
-      )
-
-      const now = new Date()
-      await formMetadata.update(
-        formId,
-        {
-          $set: partialAuditFields(now, author)
-        },
-        session
-      )
-
-      return returnedLists
-    })
-
-    logger.info(
-      `Updated list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
-    )
-
-    return updatedList
-  } catch (err) {
-    logger.error(
-      err,
-      `Failed to update list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
-    )
-
-    throw err
-  } finally {
-    await session.endSession()
-  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -119,42 +53,19 @@ export async function updateListOnDraftFormDefinition(
  * @param {FormMetadataAuthor} author
  */
 export async function removeListOnDraftFormDefinition(formId, listId, author) {
-  logger.info(
-    `Removing list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
+  await callSessionTransaction(
+    formId,
+    (session) => formDefinition.removeList(formId, listId, session),
+    author,
+    {
+      start: `Removing list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`,
+      end: `Removed list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`,
+      fail: `Failed to remove list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
+    }
   )
-
-  const session = client.startSession()
-
-  try {
-    await session.withTransaction(async () => {
-      // Update the list on the form definition
-      await formDefinition.removeList(formId, listId, session)
-
-      const now = new Date()
-      await formMetadata.update(
-        formId,
-        {
-          $set: partialAuditFields(now, author)
-        },
-        session
-      )
-    })
-
-    logger.info(
-      `Removed list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
-    )
-  } catch (err) {
-    logger.error(
-      err,
-      `Failed to remove list ${listId} on Form Definition (draft) for form ID ${formId}`
-    )
-
-    throw err
-  } finally {
-    await session.endSession()
-  }
 }
 
 /**
  * @import { FormMetadataAuthor, List } from '@defra/forms-model'
+ * @import { ClientSession } from 'mongodb'
  */
diff --git a/src/api/forms/service/lists.test.js b/src/api/forms/service/lists.test.js
index 4fbaba6d..f10c2b76 100644
--- a/src/api/forms/service/lists.test.js
+++ b/src/api/forms/service/lists.test.js
@@ -1,18 +1,14 @@
-import Boom from '@hapi/boom'
-import { pino } from 'pino'
-
 import { buildList } from '~/src/api/forms/__stubs__/definition.js'
 import * as formDefinition from '~/src/api/forms/repositories/form-definition-repository.js'
-import * as formMetadata from '~/src/api/forms/repositories/form-metadata-repository.js'
-import { formMetadataDocument } from '~/src/api/forms/service/__stubs__/service.js'
+import { callSessionTransaction } from '~/src/api/forms/service/callSessionTransaction.js'
 import {
   addListsToDraftFormDefinition,
   removeListOnDraftFormDefinition,
   updateListOnDraftFormDefinition
 } from '~/src/api/forms/service/lists.js'
 import { getAuthor } from '~/src/helpers/get-author.js'
-import { prepareDb } from '~/src/mongo.js'
 
+jest.mock('~/src/api/forms/service/callSessionTransaction.js')
 jest.mock('~/src/helpers/get-author.js')
 jest.mock('~/src/api/forms/repositories/form-definition-repository.js')
 jest.mock('~/src/api/forms/repositories/form-metadata-repository.js')
@@ -23,63 +19,58 @@ jest.useFakeTimers().setSystemTime(new Date('2020-01-01'))
 describe('lists', () => {
   const id = '661e4ca5039739ef2902b214'
   const author = getAuthor()
-  const dateUsedInFakeTime = new Date('2020-01-01')
-  const defaultAudit = {
-    'draft.updatedAt': dateUsedInFakeTime,
-    'draft.updatedBy': author,
-    updatedAt: dateUsedInFakeTime,
-    updatedBy: author
-  }
-
-  const dbMetadataSpy = jest.spyOn(formMetadata, 'update')
-
-  const expectMetadataUpdate = () => {
-    expect(dbMetadataSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
-    const [formId, updateFilter] = dbMetadataSpy.mock.calls[0]
-    expect(formId).toBe(id)
-    expect(updateFilter.$set).toEqual(defaultAudit)
-  }
-
-  beforeAll(async () => {
-    await prepareDb(pino())
-  })
+  const callSessionTransactionMock = jest.mocked(callSessionTransaction)
+  /**
+   * @type {any}
+   */
+  const mockSession = author
+  const listId = '47cfaf57-6cda-44aa-9268-f37c674823d2'
 
   beforeEach(() => {
-    jest.mocked(formMetadata.get).mockResolvedValue(formMetadataDocument)
+    callSessionTransactionMock.mockClear()
   })
 
   describe('addListsToDraftFormDefinition', () => {
-    it('should add a list of lists to the form definition', async () => {
-      const expectedLists = [buildList()]
+    it('should call callSessionTransaction with the correct parameters', async () => {
+      const expectedLists = [
+        buildList({
+          name: 'my-list'
+        }),
+        buildList({
+          name: 'my-list-2'
+        })
+      ]
       const addListsMock = jest
         .mocked(formDefinition.addLists)
         .mockResolvedValueOnce(expectedLists)
+      callSessionTransactionMock.mockResolvedValueOnce(expectedLists)
 
       const result = await addListsToDraftFormDefinition(
         id,
         expectedLists,
         author
       )
-      const [expectedFormId, listToInsert] = addListsMock.mock.calls[0]
-      expect(expectedFormId).toBe(id)
-      expect(listToInsert).toEqual(expectedLists)
+      expect(callSessionTransactionMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        id,
+        expect.any(Function),
+        author,
+        {
+          start: `Adding lists my-list, my-list-2 on Form Definition (draft) for form ID 661e4ca5039739ef2902b214`,
+          end: `Added lists my-list, my-list-2 on Form Definition (draft) for form ID 661e4ca5039739ef2902b214`,
+          fail: `Failed to add lists my-list, my-list-2 on Form Definition (draft) for form ID 661e4ca5039739ef2902b214`
+        }
+      )
+      const [, callback] = callSessionTransactionMock.mock.calls[0]
+      await callback(mockSession)
+      expect(addListsMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(id, expectedLists, mockSession)
       expect(result).toEqual(expectedLists)
-      expectMetadataUpdate()
-    })
-    it('should surface errors', async () => {
-      const boomInternal = Boom.internal('Something went wrong')
-      jest.mocked(formDefinition.addLists).mockRejectedValueOnce(boomInternal)
-      await expect(
-        addListsToDraftFormDefinition(id, [buildList()], author)
-      ).rejects.toThrow(boomInternal)
     })
   })
 
   describe('updateListOnDraftFormDefinition', () => {
-    const listToUpdate = buildList()
-    const listId = '47cfaf57-6cda-44aa-9268-f37c674823d2'
-
     it('should update a list on the form definition', async () => {
+      const listToUpdate = buildList()
+      callSessionTransactionMock.mockResolvedValueOnce(listToUpdate)
       const updateListMock = jest
         .mocked(formDefinition.updateList)
         .mockResolvedValueOnce(listToUpdate)
@@ -90,41 +81,50 @@ describe('lists', () => {
         listToUpdate,
         author
       )
-      const [expectedFormId, expectedListId, expectedListToUpdate] =
-        updateListMock.mock.calls[0]
-      expect(expectedFormId).toBe(id)
-      expect(expectedListId).toBe(listId)
-      expect(expectedListToUpdate).toEqual(listToUpdate)
+
+      expect(callSessionTransactionMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        id,
+        expect.any(Function),
+        author,
+        {
+          start: `Updating list 47cfaf57-6cda-44aa-9268-f37c674823d2 on Form Definition (draft) for form ID 661e4ca5039739ef2902b214`,
+          end: `Updated list 47cfaf57-6cda-44aa-9268-f37c674823d2 on Form Definition (draft) for form ID 661e4ca5039739ef2902b214`,
+          fail: `Failed to update list 47cfaf57-6cda-44aa-9268-f37c674823d2 on Form Definition (draft) for form ID 661e4ca5039739ef2902b214`
+        }
+      )
+
+      const [, callback] = callSessionTransactionMock.mock.calls[0]
+      await callback(mockSession)
+      expect(updateListMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        id,
+        listId,
+        listToUpdate,
+        mockSession
+      )
       expect(result).toEqual(listToUpdate)
-      expectMetadataUpdate()
-    })
-    it('should surface errors', async () => {
-      const boomInternal = Boom.internal('Something went wrong')
-      jest.mocked(formDefinition.updateList).mockRejectedValueOnce(boomInternal)
-      await expect(
-        updateListOnDraftFormDefinition(id, listId, listToUpdate, author)
-      ).rejects.toThrow(boomInternal)
     })
   })
 
   describe('removeListOnDraftFormDefinition', () => {
-    const listId = '47cfaf57-6cda-44aa-9268-f37c674823d2'
-
     it('should remove a list on the form definition', async () => {
       await removeListOnDraftFormDefinition(id, listId, author)
-      const [expectedFormId, expectedListId] = jest.mocked(
-        formDefinition.removeList
-      ).mock.calls[0]
-      expect(expectedFormId).toBe(id)
-      expect(expectedListId).toBe(listId)
-      expectMetadataUpdate()
-    })
-    it('should surface errors', async () => {
-      const boomInternal = Boom.internal('Something went wrong')
-      jest.mocked(formDefinition.removeList).mockRejectedValueOnce(boomInternal)
-      await expect(
-        removeListOnDraftFormDefinition(id, listId, author)
-      ).rejects.toThrow(boomInternal)
+      expect(callSessionTransactionMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        id,
+        expect.any(Function),
+        author,
+        {
+          start: `Removing list 47cfaf57-6cda-44aa-9268-f37c674823d2 on Form Definition (draft) for form ID 661e4ca5039739ef2902b214`,
+          end: `Removed list 47cfaf57-6cda-44aa-9268-f37c674823d2 on Form Definition (draft) for form ID 661e4ca5039739ef2902b214`,
+          fail: `Failed to remove list 47cfaf57-6cda-44aa-9268-f37c674823d2 on Form Definition (draft) for form ID 661e4ca5039739ef2902b214`
+        }
+      )
+      const [, callback] = callSessionTransactionMock.mock.calls[0]
+      await callback(mockSession)
+      expect(jest.mocked(formDefinition.removeList)).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        id,
+        listId,
+        mockSession
+      )
     })
   })
 })
diff --git a/src/api/forms/service/shared.js b/src/api/forms/service/shared.js
index 26dfea73..314fda1f 100644
--- a/src/api/forms/service/shared.js
+++ b/src/api/forms/service/shared.js
@@ -89,10 +89,6 @@ export function getLastUpdated(document) {
   }
 }
 
-/**
- * @import { FormMetadataAuthor } from '@defra/forms-model'
- * @import { PartialFormMetadataDocument } from '~/src/api/types.js'
- */
 /**
  * @param {Partial<FormMetadataDocument>} document - form metadata document
  * @returns {{ createdAt: Date, createdBy: FormMetadataAuthor }}
@@ -111,6 +107,7 @@ export function getCreated(document) {
 }
 
 /**
- * @import { FormMetadataDocument, FormMetadata } from '@defra/forms-model'
- * @import { WithId } from 'mongodb'
+ * @import { FormMetadataDocument, FormMetadata, FormMetadataAuthor } from '@defra/forms-model'
+ * @import { PartialFormMetadataDocument } from '~/src/api/types.js'
+ * @import { WithId, ClientSession } from 'mongodb'
  */