Pre-Operative Assessment Service

Our department provides pre-operative assessments to adult surgical patients to support good surgical outcomes.

The purpose of this service is to support the delivery of a safe and effective surgical service by ensuring that all patients are clinically optimised before surgery.

We provide all of our adult elective patients with a standardised service at both Univeristy Hospital and the Hospital of St Cross, where patients receive both pre-anaesthetic and pre-operative assessment depending on the procedure and their clinical need.

The service is led by a Consultant Nurse, in conjunction with Consultant Anaesthetic colleagues.

For information on your surgery please download the information leaflet by clicking here.

 

 

 
To find out more about the Ultra-Green, Green and Amber Surgical Pathways please click here.

The first stage assesses whether you are “Fit to proceed” with surgery. To do this we will:

  • Ask you questions about your health
  • Check your height, weight, and blood pressure (or use recent measurements from elsewhere)
  • Gather information about your medical care from other services
  • Do a range of tests (such as a heart tracing, blood tests, breathing tests)

This may occur by phone, or face to face.

Then: For most people, we will be able to inform the surgical team that you are fit to proceed.

For some, as long as your surgery isn’t urgent, we will give you advice on improving your health. This may involve:

  • Offering advice on your diet and lifestyle
  • Asking you to stop smoking or reduce your alcohol intake
  • Investigate you for other medical conditions we think you may have
  • Asking your GP or a specialist doctor to improve your other medical conditions (such as diabetes or anaemia)

In some cases, we will identify that you are at higher risk of having problems after surgery.

  • It is important that you know what these risks involve, so we would arrange for an appointment with an anaesthetist to discuss this with you in detail.
  • We may need to make special arrangements for your care such as arranging an intensive care bed for you after surgery.

Then: Once we have said you’re okay to proceed with surgery, you’ll then wait for your date for surgery. In some cases, your surgeon will have given you a date, but this will only be confirmed once we’ve passed you fit.

We will also give you advice on fasting, and what medications you should stop before your operation.

The second stage is a Preparation Clinic is to make sure you are appropriately prepared for surgery. This will:

  • Take place once you have a date for your operation.
  • Will be a face to face appointment 2-3 days before your operation
  • Prepare you by taking blood tests and performing swabs to screen for infection (including COVID-19).

Once these are done, we will ask you to stay at home and not have contact with anyone outside your household before surgery.

 

Service Details

Pre-Operative Assessment Service is located at the below locations:

  • University Hospital, Coventry: Clinic 1 Main Outpatients

Monday to Saturday (and Bank Holidays) - 8am - 6pm

 

Hospital of St Cross, Rugby: Day Surgery Corridor

Seven days a week including Bank Hoidays 8am - 6pm

Specialties Currently Supported

We see all adult patients having a procedure or operation which involves anaesthetic care in the following specialties:

  • Trauma and Orthopaedics

  • Neurosurgery

  • Vascular - All surgical patients and all Angiogram/angioplasty patients

  • Ophthalmology - All patients having cataract surgery under Local Anaesthetic (LA)

  • General Surgery

  • Breast Surgery

  • Gynaecology and Gynaecological Oncology

  • ENT Surgery

  • Plastic Surgery

  • Urology

  • Colorectal Surgery

  • Renal Transplant Surgery (donor and recipients)

  • Upper GI Surgery

  • Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery

 

Key Contact and Service Lead

Claire Badger

Consultant Nurse Lead

Tel: 02476 965893

02476 964000 bleep 2690

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