Your appointment in the pre-operative assessment clinic

Preparing and assessing you for surgery

The pre-operative assessment clinic is a nurse-led clinic where we will determine if you are physically fit enough for surgery and an anaesthetic.

When should I attend the pre-assessment clinic?

It’s very important that you attend the clinic as soon as you are told that you have been put on a surgery list. This is because you may need additional time to have tests or investigations before your procedure.  You do not have to wait until you receive confirmation of your procedure date to attend.

Your procedure may be delayed if your pre-assessment is not completed in time.

Your pre-assessment is valid for 3 months.

Please contact us if you need:

  • access to accommodate significant mobility needs
  • support from a carer or someone that is your advocate  
  • any other requirement that it’s important for us to meet to enable you to access the pre-assessment clinic.

Please tell us when you arrive in pre-assessment if you need information or communication in a format that you find easy to use and understand. 

This could be large print written information, or you may need our staff to wear masks that enable you to lip read or need written information in easy read if you have a Learning Disability for example. 

  • Reading glasses if you need them, as we will give you some forms to fill in when you arrive
  • Any questions or concerns, ideally written down, so that we can answer them
  • A list of your current medicine prescription or the tablets you are taking, including their strength and how often you take them
  • Any letters you have received from other hospitals involved in your current care and treatment
  • You might want to bring something to read and a drink in case you need to wait.

On arrival, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire about your general health, fitness, previous operations and illnesses, and medication history. Completing this questionnaire is the first part of your pre- assessment.

The questionnaire will help us determine the type of pre-assessment clinic appointment you will need and if you will need any additional tests or investigations before your procedure.

As part of pre-assessment patients have their weight, height, blood pressure and heart rate measured.

You may need some blood tests and an ECG. For some procedures, we will take swabs from your groin and mouth. Patients with lung disease may also have a lung function test.

If appropriate, most patients will receive all the necessary tests and investigations on their first visit to pre-assessment. Sometimes we will need to give you an appointment to return at a later. This will ensure your pre-assessment is within the right timeframe and with the right clinician.

If further specialist tests or investigations are needed, the pre-assessment team will refer you to the relevant hospital department or arrange these via your GP.

The Royal College of Anaesthetists has created several leaflets that can give you extra information: