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Day case patients should ideally be managed on dedicated day case ward areas, to ensure safe and timely discharge.^22,45

There should be agreed protocols for the management of patients who require unplanned hospital admission following their day case procedure.

If day surgery is being undertaken in an isolated site, protocols should define finding an inpatient bed and mechanism of transport for a patient requiring an overnight stay.

Locally agreed written discharge criteria should be established.

Discharge should be delegated to nursing staff trained in nurse-led discharge, according to local protocols.⁴⁶

If a patient does not satisfy the agreed discharge criteria, a member of the medical team should be informed and the patient assessed if required.⁴⁶

Locally agreed policies should be in place for the management of postoperative pain after day surgery. This should include pain scoring systems in recovery and a supply of pain relief medication on discharge, with written and verbal instructions on how to take medications and what to take when the medications have finished.

Patients may be discharged home with residual sensory or motor effects after nerve blocks or regional anaesthesia.²⁷ The duration of the effects should be explained and the patient should receive written instructions as to their conduct until normal sensation returns.

Postoperative short term memory loss may prevent verbal information being assimilated by the patient.⁴⁵ If postoperative analgesia has been provided, clear, written instructions on how and when to take medication should be provided. Other important information should also be provided in writing.^9,46

A 24-hour telephone number should be supplied so that every patient knows whom to contact in case of postoperative complications. This should ideally be to an acute surgical area and should not be an answer phone.