Pre-operative assessment clinics could reduce

Specialist nurses and GPs have a key role to play in multi-disciplinary approach

• All hospitals are being urged to set up pre-operative assessment clinics to reduce cancelled operations and ensure that risks are minimised when patients undergo surgery.

• The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland is concerned that operations are being cancelled, often at the last minute, because forward planning is not always as good as it should be, and that lack of NHS funding means that many patients do not have the chance to ask questions, raise concerns and receive advice on maximising their general fitness before surgery.

• Some hospitals already provide pre-operative assessment clinics, but provision is patchy and often the only chance anaesthetists get to see patients is on the day of the operation.

• The AAGBI says anaesthetists can work with skilled nurse practitioners to provide a safe and cost-effective system to prepare patients for anaesthesia and GPs can provide patients with essential advice to optimise their fitness before surgery.

• A UK survey found that half of day surgery patients were not assessed before the day of surgery and cancellation rates were as high as 20% in some units.

Please click here to see the full press release »

02 Feb 2010