What to expect at your pre-op assessment

  • Your observations will be taken (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate, oxygen levels, height, weight and BMI).
  • Your medical and anaesthetic history will be taken by a nurse. This includes any medications you are currently taking. The nurse will identify any medications which require adjustments.
  • Depending on your surgery, you may be given a prescription or some medications to use prior to your procedure.
  • You will be given pre-operative advice which will include fasting instructions. These instructions can also be accessed in the leaflet below.
  • You will be given some post-operative advice including how to prevent blood clots. More detailed advice for travellers — DVT prevention for travellers | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE
  • You will be asked about your plans for transport home and who will care for you after the operation
  • Depending on your planned surgery and medical history, further tests might be required. These may include bloods, swabs and an ECG.
  • For certain operations or if you have a complex medical history, you may be required to see an anaesthetist. This appointment might be on the same day as your nurse appointment, or you may need to return for this at a later date. 
  • At your appointment, you may need to see other healthcare professionals such as nurse specialists, dieticians, physiotherapists, and speech and language therapists (SALT).
  • Some Pre-Op Assessments can be completed over a telephone or video call. You may then require an appointment with our healthcare assistants (HCAs) to complete any outstanding tests. Our booking team will contact you to arrange this.

Following your Pre Op Assessment, your nurse or anaesthetist might refer you for further investigations to ensure it is safe to proceed. We will then establish when you are 'fit to proceed' so that you can be put forward for your surgery.

Leaflets

Preparing for Elective Surgery 

Helping Prevent Blood Clots in Hospital

 

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I get my surgery date?
The Pre-Op Team cannot give you your surgery date. This will be provided to you by your speciality Waiting List Team. Once you have had your pre-op assessment, completed the required tests and investigations, and the anaesthetic and surgical team believe you are in optimal health for surgery, then the Waiting List Team can look for a suitable date. Please bear in mind that some surgeries are more urgent than others. If you want to discuss your surgery date, please contact your speciality directly.

When do I need to stop eating a drinking?
For most operations, you will be required to stop eating 6 hours pre admission and take no fluids for 2 hours pre admission. Clear fluid can be drunk up until this point. You may be offered sips of water following your admission. Please follow any other specific fasting advice you may have been given. Paperwork detailing when to fast will have either have been given, posted or sent via a link to you ahead of your surgery.

Why do I need to come in for an appointment when I have already completed a telephone appointment?
Sometimes a pre-op telephone nurse appointment is carried out instead of face to face one. The nurse may identify some pre-op tests that are required to ensure you can proceed with surgery safely. A Healthcare Assistant (HCA) appointment will be made for these tests to be completed.

Why do I need to come back for an anaesthetic appointment?
At your initial pre-op assessment, the nurse will have identified that you require a further assessment by an anaesthetist. Please do attend this appointment as it will be essential in planning a safe operation.

Why have I been referred for a sleep study?
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a common condition where the muscles and soft tissues in the throat relax and collapse sufficiently to cause a total blockage of the airway. Your pre-op nurse will have completed a risk assessment for OSA during your pre-op assessment. If found to be at risk of having OSA, you may be referred for a sleep study to investigate. If a diagnosis is confirmed, the anaesthetic team will make a plan to ensure your surgical procedure can be carried out safely. Sleep Apnoea Trust - A patient support charity

Can I go on holiday after surgery?
Please speak to your surgical team if you are planning to travel around the time of your surgery. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) state that recent surgery can increase the risk of developing a travel related DVT. DVT prevention for travellers

Why has my surgery been postponed?
To ensure your surgery can be carried out safely, you may require further investigations and/or interventions to optimise your health ahead of your planned procedure. If the Pre-Op Team have not informed you that your surgery is going to be postponed, please contact your surgical Waiting List Team, as they should be able to advise the reason.