Anaesthesia |
B51 |
Anaesthetic assessment clinic
All patients coming in for surgery at the RUH will undergo an assessment before their admission. For most people, this will involve a paper questionnaire about their health, which will be reviewed by one of the specialist nurses in the Surgical Pre-Assessment Clinic. They will liaise with anaesthetists and surgeons, ensuring that patients are given individualised advice about their admission, including the management of any existing health problems.
In some cases, patients are also asked to come in for an appointment with a Consultant at the Anaesthetic Assessment Clinic (AAC). This is usually arranged in order or discuss and plan the care of existing medical problems in specific cases or to talk about the risks and benefits of surgery for a particular individual. Every patient meets his/her anaesthetist prior to surgery on the day of admission, but the AAC provides the environment and time to discuss specific concerns or address challenges, well in advance of surgery.
The aims of the AAC are to:
- Maximise the health of each patient, before surgery
- Reduce the risk of surgery, to the minimum for each person
- Discuss risks and benefits for each individual
- Provide information and answer questions and concerns
Usually, you would be referred to the Anaesthetic Consultant in the AAC by a surgeon or specialist nurse. If you feel you have a particular question to discuss with the anaesthetist, please talk to your surgeon or pre-assessment nurse, who can arrange this for you.
Sometimes, the anaesthetist at the AAC may decide that further tests or referrals are needed prior to surgery. In some cases, these may unfortunately delay surgery, in order to ensure a patient is in the best possible health before their operation.
To contact the clinic, please email our team ruh-tr.preopassessment@nhs.net or
Dr Rowan Hardy rowan.hardy@nhs.net