Preparing for your appointment

Follow the instructions about fasting (avoiding food and drink) in preparation for your operation (see the drop-down menus below).

Fasting is essential. It helps to prevent you breathing your stomach contents into your lungs while you are under general anaesthetic.

If you do not follow these fasting instructions your operation may be cancelled.

  • Do not eat after 12 midnight.
  • No chewing gum, sweets or fizzy drinks.
  • You can drink clear, still water only, up until time of surgery.
  • You can clean your teeth.

  • You can eat a light breakfast (eg a bowl of cereal) before 7am.
  • Do not eat anything after 7am.
  • No chewing gum, sweets or fizzy drinks.
  • You can clean your teeth.
  • You can drink clear, still water only, up until time of surgery.

When you arrive

When you arrive on the day of your surgery, you can expect the following.

  • A member of our medical staff will go through a pre-operation checklist with you.
  • We routinely ask women under the age of 56 to give a urine sample for pregnancy testing. We do this to ensure patient safety and avoid potential harm to the mother and foetus.
  • A doctor will speak to you. They will talk to you about your surgery, and tell you how long they expect it to take. You can ask them questions. If you are happy to go ahead with the operation, they will ask you to sign a consent form.
  • An anaesthetist will talk to you. They will discuss any relevant medical conditions that you may have, and any medications you take.

Waiting time

You may experience a long waiting time in AOD before your operation. This is because other patients will be having their operation under the same surgical team. 

Preparing for the operating theatre

When it is time for you to get ready for your surgery, you can expect the following.

  • A member of staff will let you know when you can get changed in AOD, ready for your operation.
  • We will give you two hospital gowns to put on.

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  • We will give you compression stockings to wear. For some procedures, we will also give you disposable underwear to put on.
  • Keep your shoes on, as you will wear these into the operating theatre.
  • We advise you to put your clothes into a bag. If you need a plastic bag, we can give you one.

We will keep your things secure and return them to you when you arrive back at the post-operation ward, after your surgery.

Visiting 

We do not allow next of kin, family members or friends into our hospital operating theatres or into the recovery unit.

They can contact the post-operation ward when you arrive back there after your surgery.

Most patients go to Alex Ward after their operation. Patients having a day surgery procedure may go instead to the DSU (Day Surgery Unit) afterwards.

How to find Alex Ward 

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  • You can find Alex Ward on Level 4 of the Kingston Surgical Centre.
  • Visiting hours are 8am to 8pm every day (2 visitors per patient at any time).
  • Contact Alex Ward on 020 8546 7711 ext 2301 or 2072

How to find the Day Surgery Unit (DSU)

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  • You can find the DSU to the left of the main entrance to the hospital, next to the Maternity Unit.
  • Contact the DSU on 020 8546 7711 ext 2742 or 3102