Search

All critical incidents should be reported according to local governance procedures.⁴⁰

Hospitals must have systems in place to facilitate multidisciplinary morbidity and mortality meetings.⁶

Clinical governance is detailed in GPAS chapter 1: Guidelines for the Provision of a Good department.

Facilities for computer based video platforms or telephone consultations should be available.

When patients arrive in a preoperative preparation clinic, there should be a staffed reception desk or automated registration system to ensure the patient’s attendance is registered and that the patient is directed to the appropriate member of staff or waiting area.

The patients’ waiting area should provide adequate seating for the number of patients attending a preoperative preparation clinic. This may be an appropriate place to display patient information leaflets and to play health promotional videos and other materials.

Consulting rooms need adequate furniture, such as a desk, chairs, examination couch and equipment such as computers, scales for measuring height and weight, blood pressure, pulse oximetry, peak flow meter and electrocardiography machines.

There should be equipment and facilities for near patient testing and laboratory blood tests and urine analysis.

There must be a secure environment to enable access to patients’ notes including previous anaesthetic records and medical alerts.⁶

Objective assessment of risk should be routine and the identification of increased risk should trigger advanced planning specific to that patient. Each hospital should have a consistent and where possible evidence based system in place to identify high risk surgical patients who require additional assessment.⁵⁰ This assessment should be based on:⁵⁴

• age
• comorbidity
• medication history and allergy status...