Pre-operative Department

What we do

Firstly, we assess your fitness for surgery and anaesthesia. We will help you reduce your risk from having an operation by being as fit as possible beforehand.

Secondly, when you arrive in hospital for surgery, we prepare you for your operation and recovery.

What is pre-operative assessment?

A pre-operative assessment (POA) ensures that the hospital has a full understanding of your medical history, and any ongoing health problems, before you have surgery.

You may either be sent a booked appointment through the post, or attend the Pre-operative Department (POD) straight from your outpatients appointment.

Following your POA, you may be referred on to other medical specialists or back to your own doctor (GP) for additional treatment before your surgery.

POA aims to have you as medically fit as possible before you undergo your surgery. This may include arranging medical investigations.

If you are found to be medically unfit for a general anaesthetic, the POA team will ensure that you fully understand the reasons and will liaise with your surgical team and your GP.

POA provides an opportunity for full discussion of your admission, forthcoming surgery and subsequent arrangements for discharge from hospital to home. This will involve identifying who will transport you home and who will look after you.

POA allows you the opportunity to raise any questions and anxieties you may have regarding your surgery.

Your visit to the pre-operative department leaflet