Day Surgery

What is day surgery?|
Is it safe?
|What would be the advantages for me?
|What to bring into hospital with you
|When you arrive
|Your procedure
|What happens after day surgery?
|What will I need at home?
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What is day surgery?

Day surgery is a procedure from which you can safely recover at home after a short period of observation in hospital.

Many people can now come into hospital, have their procedure, and go home on the same day.

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Is it safe?

Advances in anaesthetics and improvements in surgical techniques, make day surgery as safe as staying overnight in hospital.  Thousands of operations have been carried out successfully in this way over the past twenty years.

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What would be the advantages for me?

Many people like to spend as little time as possible in hospital and prefer to be at home with their family or friends.

There is less disruption to your daily routine, childcare is easier to plan and very often you will be back at work sooner.

Could I be a day surgery patient?

It depends on what operation you need.   An ever increasing number of surgical procedures are carried out as a day case, including hernia operations, cataracts, gall bladder removal, minor gynaecology, types of joint surgery and many others.

Careful assessment of your general health is made before booking you in for day surgery.

Normally you will need to live within an hour and half's drive of the hospital.  At home you will need access to a telephone and convenient toilet facilities and you must be registered with a family doctor.

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What to Bring into Hospital with You

Your completed hospital admission form

Any specimens that you have been asked to provide.

All medicines, prescription, over-the-counter, herbal or homeopathic remedies or any medicines that you only take when you need to (eg indigestion remedies or painkillers).  Please bring all medicines in their original packaging.

Dressing gown and slippers.

Some toiletries and make up remover.

Something to read.

The name and telephone number of the person who will be driving you home.

Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing.

What not to bring with you.

Large sums of money and valuables.

Electrical equipment other than electric razors.

The hospital cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused to jewellery or personal effects

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When you arrive

Make your way to the hospital's main entrance. The reception staff will ask for your name and send you to us. We are on the same floor, turn left  just past the stairs.

We are sent information about you beforehand so we will be expecting you.  After you have checked in, a  member of our nursing staff will look after you, she will discuss and record any details relevent to your care.  An outline of what to expect throughout your stay in terms of postoperative recovery and discharge time will also be given at this stage.

The doctor or your Consultant will see you before you have your procedure to make sure you are aware of the nature and risks of  the procedure and if you are having a general anaesthetic, the anaesthetist will see you too.

In the majority of cases, accommodation is in single sex bays. Whilst a space will have been reserved for you, it may not be available at your time of arrival but will be ready for you by the time you return from theatre, if not before.

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Your procedure

We have three theatres, a procedure room and an endoscopy room. You will be having your procedure in one of these areas. Different Consultants have different session times allocated to them, mornings and afternoons. The morning one starts at 8 am and finishes at 1 pm and the afternoon one starts at
2 pm and finishes at 7 pm.  Each Consultant has their own list and your name will be on one of these lists, for example, you could be on a morning list but  not have your procedure until 11.45 am.

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What happens after day surgery?

You will have some light refreshments and if necessary we will give you medication to reduce pain and sickness.  After a short period of observation you will be able to go home.  We will expect you to have made arrangements to have someone to drive you home.

Because of the effects of anaesthetics you are advised NOT to do the following for at least 24/48 hours after surgery:

• Drive a car, ride a motorbike or bicycle
• Drink alcohol or take sleeping tablets, except on medical advice
• Operate machinery or anything that requires close co-ordination
• Make important decisions or sign legal documents

We may recommend that you abstain from driving for a further period of time following certain procedures.

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What will I need at home?

It still takes a few days to get over certain operations, just as it would if you stayed in hospital. You and your carer (a relative or friend) will be given advice about what to do at home during this time. Your carer will probably need a day or two off work in order to look after you while you recover.

If you have any worries once you are at home, help and advice will only be a telephone call away. Our telephone number is available on our patient information leaflets and you can pick up a card with our contact details before you go home.

We appreciate that coming into hospital can be an anxious time for some of you but all attempts will be made to make your stay as comfortable and as pleasant as possible.