Having an operation - Preparing for surgery

In the days leading up to your surgery, you'll need to make travel arrangements for getting to and from the hospital and think about what to pack.

Make sure you give your family and friends plenty of notice about your operation, so they can take time off work to be with you if necessary.

Check your hospital's policy on visiting times and let your family and friends know. Read more about visiting someone in hospital.

Pre-operative assessment

At some hospitals you'll be asked to attend a pre-operative assessment, which may be an appointment with a nurse or doctor, a telephone assessment or an email assessment. You'll be asked questions about your health, your medical history and your home circumstances.

If the assessment involves a visit to the hospital, some tests may be carried out, including MRSA screening and blood tests.

This assessment will usually happen one or more days before your operation.

Make sure you know the results of any previous tests, as well as all the medications, vitamins and herbal supplements you take. 

You'll be given clear information on:

• whether you need to stop eating and drinking in the hours before your operation (see below)
• whether you should stop taking your usual medications before going into hospital
• what to bring with you into hospital
• whether you'll need to stay in hospital overnight and, if so, for how long

Importance of fasting

If your doctor has instructed you to fast before the operation, it's really important that you don't eat or drink anything – this includes light snacks, sweets and water. You need an empty stomach during surgery so you don’t vomit while you are under anaesthetic.

If you take insulin because of diabetes you will still need to avoid eating and drinking before surgery, but make sure your medical team is aware of your condition so appropriate precautions can be taken.

Hygiene

You'll need to remove all make-up and nail polish before your operation as the doctors will need to see your skin and nails to make sure your blood circulation is healthy.

This can also help reduce your chances of unwanted bacteria being brought into the hospital.

Getting to and from hospital

Think about how you will get to the hospital and back again. You probably won't be well enough to drive, so you may want to arrange transport or ask a friend or relative to help. In some cases, the hospital may be able to arrange transport home for you.

Some hospitals will charge for parking. You may be able to check whether you have to pay for parking at your chosen hospital by finding your hospital and selecting 'facilities'.

Cancelling and rearranging

If you're unable to attend your hospital appointment or you don't feel well enough to have your operation, let the hospital know as soon as possible. Your admission will be rearranged for another day.

Let your surgeon know if you develop a cough, cold or fever a few days before surgery. They will advise whether your operation can go ahead.

Preparing your child for surgery

Watch a video about your child's hospital stay to find out how you can prepare your child for a stay in hospital, what to bring, and the facilities available for parents and children.

What happens next?

Read about what happens on the day of the operation for information on what to expect when you are admitted to hospital for surgery.