Search

Patients should be provided with information specific to their condition/indication for surgery in addition to information about day surgery. Clear and concise information given to patients at the right time and in the correct format is essential to facilitate good day surgery practice.⁵ This information should be provided before the day of surgery and may be given to patients...

An explanation of the of the patient pathway for the day of surgery and written information should be provided. This could include infographics or video.¹²

Information should be arranged in such a way that is comprehensive, comprehensible, age appropriate and suitable for patients with special needs and those with other difficulties in understanding and considering the information. It may be necessary to provide information leaflets in a number of different languages to accommodate the needs of the local population.

The information should be sufficient to allow informed consent and patients should have an opportunity to ask for further information or clarification.^12,17,28,29

In addition to clinical information, patients should be provided with:

• the date and time of admission to the unit
• location of the unit, travel and parking instructions, including information regarding parking costs, if relevant
• any relevant preoperative preparations required of the patient
• information on the anaesthetic to be provided, including clear instruction for preoperative fasting and hydration, and the way...

Patients should also be made aware at the preoperative assessment visit that conversion to inpatient care is always a possibility and that they should consider how this may impact on their home arrangements, including any dependent relatives.

Preoperative assessment clinics should have a nominated consultant or staff grade, associate specialist or specialty doctor lead involved in developing local protocols, coordination of day surgery preoperative services, selection of patients with complex issues for day surgery and audit of outcomes.^12,13

Preoperative assessment staff should be specifically trained in day surgery preoperative assessment, including optimisation and preparation for day surgery.

Where possible, progress should be made towards development of dedicated day surgery teams with preoperative assessment delivered by the day surgery team to reinforce the day surgery message.

High-quality anaesthesia is pivotal to achieving successful outcomes following day surgery. The majority of anaesthesia for day surgery should be delivered by consultants or autonomously practising anaesthetists. Staff grade, associate specialist and specialty doctors and experienced trainee anaesthetists may also provide anaesthesia for day surgery. However, these doctors should be suitably experienced and skilled in techniques appropriate to the practice...