If you have not completed a health assessment questionnaire or had any tests regarding your admission, then please contact us.

If your surgery will be performed under a local anaesthetic, then a full pre-assessment is not required, but you will still need to come to the Unit for an MRSA screen.

You will need to complete a health questionnaire which will be reviewed by a nurse, which will determine which tests (if any) you need.

You may need tests to help us to establish whether you need to have day surgery or need to stay in hospital.

Blood tests are needed before certain operations.

For some procedures, further blood tests are required a few days before your planned operation.

The nurse will explain the procedure to you following your assessment.

We screen all patients prior to planned surgery for MRSA.

All tests are carried out within the department.

If you need any further specialist tests, as directed by the anaesthetist, appointments will be made for you in the appropriate department(s).

Yes please - this will allows the nurse to document accurately what medication you are currently prescribed or taking.

You will need to have a supply of your regular medications and painkillers, for example paracetamol, ready at home for when you leave hospital after your operation.

If you require prescribed painkillers these will be issued to you on discharge and you will be given advice about how to take them.

It depends on the type of surgery you will be having.

Your pre-assessment nurse will be able to advise whether you will need to wear them or not.

Each patient will be individually assessed for risk of blood clots, and the risk will determine what treatment you will receive, both in hospital and on discharge.

Due to the amount of space available in the Day Surgery Unit, we do ask that you are dropped off at the reception area.

A member of staff will contact your accompanying relative or friend when you are ready to go home.

One parent may remain in the department for patients aged 16 years old and under.

Special arrangements can be made for carers.

You will need a responsible adult to stay with you at home for 24 hours after the operation.

If you do not have anybody to stay with you it may mean that you will have to stay in hospital overnight.

You need to be taken home by a responsible adult who can stay with you for 24 hours.

You cannot go home on a bus.

If you need to stop any medications prior to your operation you will be advised of this before your operation.

Warfarin, Clopidogrel and diabetic medication are generally the only medications that need to be stopped prior to surgery, but a nurse will advise you of this following your assessment.

If you are diabetic, you will be given specific information prior to surgery.

We may ask you to get this checked by your GP prior to surgery.

If you are known to have high blood pressure you should have it monitored by your GP regularly - especially if you are going to be having an operation.

This depends on whether your operation is in the morning or the afternoon.

Fasting instructions can be found on your admission letter.

You will be given a date for your surgery by the Bookings Officer.

This will either be by letter or a phone call.

If your operation is routine, the current average waiting time is about 18 weeks from the time your GP referred you.  

You can contact the Bookings Officer or your consultant's secretary.

More information is available in the day surgery patient information leaflets - please ask a member of staff for details. 

This is not in the same location as the Pre-operative Assessment Unit - it's in the main Great Western Hospital - on the first floor at the west entrance (please see Floor plan).

Once you arrive at the unit, a member of staff will let your friend/relative know that we will contact them when you're ready to go home.

You will then be shown to the waiting area, where a nurse will complete all the relevant paperwork with you.

You will be seen by a consultant and an anaesthetist before surgery.

You will then be asked to wait in the waiting area.

Just before your operation, you will be escorted to theatre and asked to change into a hospital gown.

The average wait for theatre is between one and four hours.

The average recovery time for patients having day surgery is 1-5 hours.

7.30am-9.00pm

Yes, but we recommend that you do not bring any valuables into hospital.