What can I do to prepare for my surgery?
There are some key interventions – working on these than can reduce complications by 50% and reduce the time spent in hospital by 1 –2 days
- Smoking cessation
- Exercise
- Alcohol moderation
- Ensuring mental well being
- Nutrition
- Managing chronic illnesses
- Practical preparation
- Assessment, optimisation, shared decision making
Link to Fitter Better Sooner/CPOC
Link to Trust leaflet
Preoperative Assessment
We assess your fitness for surgery and provide the information you need to help you prepare for your procedure.
If you are listed for an operation, you must have your pre-operative assessment to be able to safely proceed with your surgery.
There may also be an opportunity to see an anaesthetist during your visit – this may happen at the same time as your initial visit or at another time.
We have preoperative assessment clinics at both our hospital sites – where you have your appointments can depend on the procedure you are having but there may be an opportunity to choose a site that is most convenient to you.
Health questionnaire
When you are listed for an operation in the surgical outpatients we will send you a link via email or text, to take you to an electronic patient assessment questionnaire (ePAQ).
This form provides details about your current health and previous surgeries, as well as allowing you or your loved ones to voice any concerns you might have about your upcoming surgery.
You will be able to complete the questionnaire on a PC, tablet, or smartphone and usually takes about 20 minutes to complete. If required a carer, friend or family member can help you fill the questionnaire in.
It is important that you complete the questionnaire so that we can plan what you need for surgery.
LINK to EPAQ leaflet
What happens next?
Unfortunately waiting times for operations vary widely and there may be some time between completion of the questionnaire and being given your operation date.
The questionnaire will be reviewed by our Perioperative Care Coordination Team who will decide what is the most appropriate preoperative pathway for you. They may contact you or your GP regarding any chronic health conditions that may impact your recovery from surgery. They can also offer signposting and support with regards to any modifiable lifestyle factors – these will be specific to you and your local area. The team will also check in with you regularly to encourage you with any lifestyle improvements.
Depending on which pathway you are on you will be contacted by the team and they may arrange for you to talk to one of our nurses over the telephone or you may be asked to come into our clinic to see one of our nursing team and/or one of our anaesthetic team to further discuss your health and how this may affect your risks from surgery.
Your visit may include having tests, so please be prepared to spend up at least a couple of hours during your appointment.
In addition to some routine blood tests, some other tests might be required. These include
- Electrocardiogram (heart tracing)
- Echocardiogram (heart scan)
- Spirometry / Pulmonary Function test (breathing test)
- Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test
If these are indicated, you will be informed either at your appointment with the nurse or later once your notes have been reviewed by a member of the anaesthetic team.
Before your appointment
Check to see what you might need to bring or do below:
- Eat and drink as normal before you attend your appointment
- Check your appointment letter to see if you need to prepare anything
- Please note that patients under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult
- Your appointment letter
- A list of current medication that you take, including their strength and how often you take them – your GP prescription should show this information clearly
- Any samples that have been requested
- A list of any relevant medical conditions or surgical procedures you have / have had
- Questions you may have about your surgery or anaesthetic.
- Change for car parking charges
- If you have a medical alert card or medical implant e.g. pacemaker, it is important to bring these details with you to show the nurse.
- We make every effort to ensure that patients are seen at their appointment time, however this is not always possible, as it is difficult to predict how long each patient will need to spend with the nurse.
What do I do if I have reasonable adjustments?
When the team contact you to arrange the appointment they will establish if you have any special requirements or reasonable adjustments. They can then arrange the most appropriate appointment for you and ensure the team on the day are aware and make any necessary arrangements. This may include having an interpreter for the visit. Please note that friends and relatives are not permitted to interpret for you during your assessment.
LINK to preop leaflet
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing as per information already on site
