Read this information carefully. It has important instructions.
We will send you details of where in Kingston hospital to come to on the day of your operation. This will be either the Day Surgery Unit or Admission on the Day.
Most patients are able to go home the same day. When necessary, you will stay in the hospital on Alexandra (sometimes called Alex) ward.
Remember:
Tell family and friends where you are going.
Arrange for someone to take you home afterwards and for any support you need at home.
Fasting (no food and drink)
Stopping food and drink (fasting) is essential before an operation. At your pre-operative assessment, we will have given you a leaflet with instructions.
If you do not follow these fasting instructions, we may cancel your operation.
Medicines
Continue to take all of your medications up to and including the morning of your operation unless you are told not to.
If you are unsure of the instructions, contact the pre-operative assessment team immediately.
Bring all medicines and inhalers with you on the day of surgery.
Do not take any medicines while you are in hospital unless you have checked first with the staff looking after you.
Reduce infection
Have a bath or shower with soap and wash your hair, either the night before or on the day of your surgery.
Do not shave near to the site of surgery in the three days before your surgery.
Remove all make-up, nail varnish, jewellery and body piercings before you come into hospital.
What to bring
All of your belongings should fit into a small case or bag. This will be labelled with your name and will be transferred to your ward after surgery.
Wear comfortable and loose-fitting clothes on the day.
Bring with you:
your admission letter and contact details for your GP and next of kin
all medications you are taking, including any that you have been asked to stop
indoor shoes
your glasses, contact lenses and hearing aids
any mobility aids
toiletries and spare comfortable clothes (not needed if you are having day case surgery)
your Blue Badge, if you have one
items to pass the time such as books, magazines or electronic devices
mobile phone and charger.
Do not bring:
jewellery, lots of cash or other valuables
alcohol
food
large bags or suitcases.
Pregnancy
There may be risks to your baby if you have an anaesthetic or surgery when pregnant.
Tell the pre-operative assessment team as soon as possible if you are pregnant (see Contact details below). They will discuss any risks with you. Your surgery may need to be postponed.
You may wish to take additional precautions against getting pregnant while you are waiting for an operation.
If you are unwell
Tell us as soon as possible if you feel unwell in the week before your surgery date. This could include having an infection or recently needing to see your GP.
Contact us on the phone number on your hospital admission letter. Either your surgical team or the pre-operative assessment team will contact you to check your symptoms and advise if your surgery can go ahead.
When you arrive
You may have a long wait
The time we tell you to arrive is not the time of your surgery.
You may have a long wait before your operation. This is because your surgeon may also have other operations to do on the same day. Some patients may come in as an emergency.
We will do everything we can to reduce your waiting time. We suggest you bring:
something to read
a phone or tablet with entertainment already downloaded.
In Admission on the Day, you can have someone with you while you wait. However, this is not possible in the Day Surgery Unit unless you need to have someone with you due to a disability or impairment.
When you arrive on the day of your surgery, you can expect the following.
Checklist
We will go through a pre-operation checklist with you.
Pregnancy test
We ask all females under the age of 56 to give a urine sample for pregnancy testing. This is to avoid harm to the mother and baby.
Speak to surgeon Someone from the surgical team will talk to you about your operation and ask you to sign a consent form. You can raise any concerns and ask questions..
Speak to anaesthetist
These are specialist doctors responsible for your anaesthesia. They will talk to you about any medical conditions and discuss the best type of anaesthesia for you. You can talk about any concerns you have about anaesthesia.
For more about anaesthetics and what to expect, read our information on Getting ready for your surgery and anaesthetic.
Where you will recover
We will tell you whether you will be taken to Alexandra ward or the Day Surgery Unit after your operation.
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 to get changed.
We will give you a hospital gown to put on. Put it on with the opening at the back. If you are given two gowns, put the second one on top with the opening at the front.
We will give you compression stockings to wear. These help prevent blood clots in your legs. We may also give you disposable underwear to put on.
Keep your shoes on, as you will wear these into the operating theatre.
Put your clothes into a bag. If you need a plastic bag, we can give you one. We will keep your personal items secure. We will return them to you after your surgery when you arrive back at Alexandra ward or the Day Surgery Unit.
When it is time for your surgery
Friends and family are not usually allowed into our hospital operating theatres or the recovery unit. If you need to have someone with you due to an impairment or disability, tell the staff when you arrive at the hospital.
Operating theatre
In theatre, the lights are bright and there will be lots of machines. There may also be several people dressed in blue theatre clothes. These are your anaesthetists, nurses and surgeons. They all help to look after you.
Recovery ward
After the operation, you will be wheeled around to the recovery area to wake up. You have your own nurse while you are there. We will ensure any pain and nausea is controlled.
Transfer to ward
Once you are awake, we take you to either Alexandra ward or the Day Surgery Unit.
The nurses there will offer you a drink and snack while we prepare painkillers and other medicines for you to take home. You can leave only when you are fully awake and any pain or nausea is under control. This may take one hour or longer.
We will tell you before your operation whether you are going to the Day Surgery Unit or Alexandra Ward afterwards.
Day Surgery Unit: staff will ring your family about 30 minutes before you are ready to be collected.
Alexandra Ward: your family can contact the ward to find out when you will be ready to be collected, or they may wait in the waiting area outside the ward.
Alexandra Ward
Day Surgery Unit
Level 4, Kingston Surgical Centre.
Visiting hours are 8am to 8pm every day (2 visitors per patient at any time).
