You have been listed for surgery at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust.

You will now be asked to complete your online Pre-Operative Assessment Questionnaire.

You will be given a MyPreOp patient card detailing The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust contact information and concise instructions on how to create your account and access the assessment program.

Here you will complete a comprehensive assessment of your general health and medical history.  Please aim to provide us with as much information as possible; this will help us to determine what investigations you may need prior to your procedure. 

What is a Pre-Operative Assessment?

The assessment is designed to make sure you are fit enough to undertake a general anaesthetic.

The questionnaire will ask about?

• Any pre-existing conditions you have
• Any previous operations you have had
• Your planned operation
• Your medication
• Your lifestyle
• Your discharge home

It is important to answer all of the online questions as accurately as you can to avoid any unnecessary delays to your surgery.

If you have difficulty in completing the MyPreOp questionnaire, please contact your Consultants Secretary and they can guide you through this process.

How long will it take to complete the online assessment?

It can take anything from 30minutes upwards to complete.

Why is it important to complete?

To make sure you are fit for your anaesthetic so we can then appropriately and safely place you in one of the following categories:

• Attend for routine bloods and investigations.
• An assessment with the pre-operative practitioner.
• Contacted and asked for further information or investigations to be done in a different hospital.
• Patients with complex medical conditions are seen in High risk anaesthesia clinic by the Consultant Anaesthetist.

Assessment appointments

Appointments with the pre-operative practitioner and/or anaesthetist can take up to a couple of hours dependent upon whether you need any tests or investigations during your assessment.

What to bring with you to your appointment?

Please bring a copy of your current repeat prescription or list of medication (including any you buy from a shop or chemist).

Please let the nurse know if you take any medicines to thin your blood.

Any important correspondence or results from other hospitals. 

Who will I see in clinic?

The clinics are run by pre-operative practitioners who have had specialist training to undertake your assessment.

The practitioner may need to ask one of the Anaesthetists to see you in their clinic if there are concerned about you being fit for your general anaesthetic. This will be discussed with you during your appointment.

 

You may also see a pharmacy technician to discuss your current medication.

What happens during the appointment?

The practitioner may need to ask you about past medical history or current symptoms you are experiencing, or certain medication you are taking. They may need to examine you, listen to your heart and lungs and check you blood pressure. You may then attend the investigations room for bloods, swabs, ecg and height and weight. There are times when you will need to attend a different hospital for investigations this could be for a scan of your heart. 

 

Sometimes you will need to re-attend for repeat investigations this could be due to some abnormal results this will be explained to you when you are asked to re-attend.

Attending for routine bloods and investigations

If you don’t need to see a practitioner you will be given an appointment to attend for routine investigations. This can include bloods, swabs and observations. 

Pre-operative bathing

You will have been provided with a body wash called hibiscrub this is to be used for three days before your surgery including your hair. We would also ask you to shower/bath and wash your hair on the evening before, and the morning of your surgery.

Admission

Day before admission you will be contacted and told what time to arrive for and which ward you are being admitted onto.

 

Planning for discharge

The nurse will ask about your plans for discharge home, who you live with and your plan for returning to your normal daily activities including return to work .

 

Medications to take home

Please make sure you have a supply of your usual painkillers at home. A prescription for any new medication will be given to you before discharge and any medication you may have brought in with you will be returned to you.

Getting home

Transport can only be provided by the hospital if you have no means possible of arranging this yourself. Before your admission, please try to arrange someone to pick you up on the morning of your discharge .Your bed may be required for a patient coming in for surgery that day. We aim to assist you to be ready for discharge by mid-morning, so that their surgery is not cancelled. Please help us to achieve this by organising as much as possible before coming into hospital. Please ensure you have access to your house keys on the day of discharge. If someone holds these for you please ensure they will be available for when you get home. Please ensure you have enough food at home (or someone who can shop for you) for the first few days after discharge. 

 

 

Removal of stitches

The nurse looking after you will let you know on the day you are to be discharged when your stitches will need to be removed. This can be done at your GP surgery, or at your local walk in centre. The District Nurses will only visit to do this if you are unable to leave your house without significant difficulty.

 

GP

Your GP will be sent a discharge summary informing him/her of your surgery and discharge from hospital.

 

Driving

You may need to inform the DVLA of your condition and surgery. You can do this by accessing the following web address and downloading the appropriate form for completion www.dvla.gov.uk/medical.aspx. Alternatively you can write to them at Driver Customer Service Correspondence Team, DVLA, SA6 7JL, or call 0870 240 0009.