Welcome
This page provides information and guidance to carers providing support to patients undergoing day surgery. It will help you to understand the impact on work and social schedules, and family life as a whole, so that you can plan ahead.
Following the guidance outlined will ensure that things run smoothly on the day, and surgery can go ahead as planned.
This page supplements information provided to the patient about:
- The procedure
- Preparation before the operation
- Care after the operation
- Care at home
Please contact a member of the team if, after reading this information, you have any concerns or queries about caring for the patient. Contact information can be found at the end of this page.
Back to topWhat is Day Surgery?
Day surgery, sometimes called day case surgery, means an operation or surgical procedure that does not involve an overnight stay in hospital. The patient is admitted on the day of surgery, and usually goes home on the same day, a few hours after the procedure, once they have recovered sufficiently.
A patient’s suitability for day surgery is assessed during the pre-operative pathway. This will be discussed with the patient during the Outpatient Consultation and during the Pre-Operative Assessment Appointment.
Back to topHow can I help the patient prepare for Day Surgery?
The patient will receive an Admission Letter that details the date and location of the Day Surgery Procedure and a reminder of the pre-operative guidelines to follow.
You can help by ensuring the patient understands and follows these instructions.
The patient should:
Do
- Follow the fasting instructions, which will be tailored to the patient’s admission time. It is important these instructions are followed or there is a risk the surgery cannot take place.
- Have a bath/shower before coming into hospital.
- Bring their current medications, including inhalers. Help make sure the patients follows pre-op guidance about taking their medicines on the day of their surgery.
- Bring comfortable day wear, comfortable fitted shoes or slippers (nightwear and personal toiletries are only required for patients with overnight stays and not for daycase procedures).
Do not
- Smoke before their operation. By not smoking, this helps to speed up the healing process, their overall recovery and reduces the risk of complications.
- Wear any make-up, gel or acrylic nails, nail varnish, jewellery or any piercings .
- Bring valuables or large sums of money to hospital. Lockers are available for use, but the Trust cannot accept responsibility for personal items brought into the hospital.
You can also help make sure the patient has a plan in place for getting to hospital on time. This might include making sure alternative arrangements are in place for any dependents of the patient (for example child care arrangements are made, or caring responsibilities for other relatives are organised).
Back to topPlanning for Discharge
In order for the patient to be discharged, you must:
- Collect them from the Day Unit / Ward. Please do not meet them elsewhere on the hospital site, as the nursing team cannot allow the patient to leave without being accompanied by a responsible adult.
- Be able to stay or have arranged for someone else to stay with the patient for the following 24 hours.
Having this plan in place is crucial to surgery going ahead. There is a risk of cancellation if the above criteria are not met.
You can help by making sure these arrangements are made in advance for discharge and that the patient and the nursing team know who is collecting them.
Back to topWhat will happen on the day of surgery?
The patient will be given an admission time by which they should arrive at hospital.
This is not the same as the procedure time. Before surgery can take place, the patient will be checked into the unit and will be seen by the surgeon and anaesthetist.
Back to topWill I be allowed to stay with the patient?
We have limited space in our day surgery admission units. As such, we are not able to accommodate other people in these areas, except for carers of children or vulnerable adults.
If you feel that you should stay with the patient during their stay, please contact us to discuss and arrange this.
You may escort the patient up to the admission unit and you will be contacted when the patient is ready to go home. If you decide to wait at the hospital, there are restaurant and café facilities on each of our sites. These are well signposted and you can ask staff for directions.
Certain circumstances may lead to some delays in surgery being performed. If this happens, we will do our best to keep the patient and yourself informed.
Back to topWhen will the patient be discharged?
Patients will be discharged once the nursing and medical staff are satisfied with their condition.
This is usually when:
- The patient is fully awake and has recovered from anesthesia.
- Has eaten a light meal and any nausea is controlled.
- Pain is adequately controlled.
- The patient has passed urine.
Depending on the procedure, this will usually be between 2 and 6 hours after admission. The ward team will be able to indicate on admission when this is likely to be and will contact you when the patient is ready to go home.
Any advised timings will be indicative. Please remember that the exact time an operation starts is dependent on the other procedures on the list first and this can sometimes cause delays. Recovery time may also vary. Not all patients react to anaesthetic in the same way and some patients may take more or less time than others to recover.
If you are staying at the hospital, please be prepared to wait and bring sufficient change for the parking meter.
In exceptional circumstances, surgery may be prolonged or complicated, meaning the patient may need to stay overnight in hospital. This may be in the day surgery unit or another hospital ward. In both cases the ward staff will contact you, to confirm visiting arrangements and discharge arrangements for the following day.
Back to topHow will the patient feel after discharge?
The patient may feel tired or even exhausted when they get home, and may need to go to bed or rest as much as possible. The discharging nurse will provide any specific advice and guidance for the patient to take home with them.
You must stay with the patient for 24 hours after general anaesthetic or sedation. Alternatively arrangements must be made for someone else to do so, as the patient may feel dizzy, light-headed and need help with bathing, showering or moving around.
Within the 24 hours after general anaesthetic, patients are advised not to:
- Drive or operate machinery
- Drink alcohol, smoke or take recreational drugs
- Take sleeping tablets
- Look after children independently
- Sign legal documents, contracts or make important decisions.
What should I do if I am worried about the patient after surgery?
The patient will be given a discharge information sheet, which will provide details on who to contact should there be concerns that recovery is not going as planned and what to do in an emergency.
Back to topVisitor/ Patient Parking
For further information regarding parking facilities, please refer to our website www.leedsth.nhs.uk.
Back to topPatient Transport Services (PTS)
The non-emergency PTS is available for suitable patients referred for consultations, treatment or procedures provided within a hospital setting.
To find out if the patient is eligible for PTS and how to access it, they will need to contact their admissions department or if they live outside the West Yorkshire area, they will need to contact their GP.
Back to topUseful contact numbers
If you have any general questions regarding their day surgery, please contact us on the numbers below:
Monday- Friday 9.00am- 5.00pm
Pre-assessment:
St James: 0113 206 6191
LGI: 0113 392 3458
Wharfedale: 0113 392 1561
David Beevers Day Unit – St James
Monday 07:00 to Saturday 12:00 inclusive
Nurse Station Ext: 0113 206 5786
Reception Tel: 0113 206 4788
Admissions Unit / JAL- St James:
LGI – Ward L26:
Wharfedale Ward 1:
Chapel Allerton Hospital (Monday- Friday 8:30am- 4:30pm)
Pre-assessment: 0113 392 4759
Theatre Schedular: 0113 392 4759
Ward C3 Post Op: 0113 392 4503
Ward C3: 0113 392 4203
For any issues following your surgery, please contact the relevant Day Surgery Unit or The Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU): 0113 206 9256
Back to top