Pre-operative assessment clinic

The pre-operative assessment clinic reviews patients to make sure they are ready for their surgery.

You will receive a letter or phone call advising you to attend the pre-operative assessment clinic prior to attending the hospital for surgery. When you receive this letter, please contact us to confirm that you are attending or if you wish to cancel or reschedule.

Coming in for your appointment

On the day of your appointment, you should arrive no more than ten minutes prior to appointment time. The pre-operative assessment clinic is located in the Whitty Wing, Level 2 (clinic 10).

Please bring along a list of your medications with you on the day.

What to expect

When you arrive, go to the reception desk, and one of our staff will register you.

After registration, you will be seen by one of the pre-operative assessment nurses who will:

• Discuss your general health and record your medical and surgical history
• Ask you about any allergies
• Ask you details about your lifestyle (i.e. smoking, alcohol and exercise)
• Record your weight and height
• Check your temperature, pulse and blood pressure
• Provide you with information on fasting before your surgery

You will also be seen by a doctor who will also assess you further in relation to your fitness for anaesthesia. Following completion of the assessment, you may require further tests, such as:

• Blood tests
• Tracing for the heart (ECG) or a scan of your heart (ECHO)
• Swabs for infection control screening

If you have any tests done during your pre-admission assessment, it may be a few days before a decision can be made regarding your suitability for surgery.

Occasionally, it may be necessary to defer your surgery date for a short time in an effort to optimise your health and ensure that you are ready for surgery.

Your date for surgery will be determined by your surgical consultant. Any queries relating to your surgery or your admission date should be discussed with their team.