A Patient's guide to the Paediatric Pre-Operative Assessment Clinic

At the Pre-operative assessment we make sure that your child is well enough to have a general anaesthetic.

The date for your child’s surgery is provisional depending on the outcome of your pre –operative assessment appointment. If your child is deemed fit after your assessment you will then proceed to your admission date.

The Pre-operative clinic will:

• Make sure your child is fit to undergo their procedure
• Provide information about your surgery and stay
• Carry out the tests that are needed before the procedure
• Find out if there are any special requirements for your child
• Reduce the risk of cancellations on the day of surgery.

Depending on the type of assessment your child requires, the appointment will take place over the telephone or in our dedicated Children’s and Young Persons Outpatients department. The appointment normally takes one hour and we aim to see you 2-4 weeks ahead of your provisional date for admission. However, you may be sent an appointment ahead of being given a date for surgery so you are confirmed as being fit or ready for surgery. You may have completed a screening questionnaire in the outpatients department when the decision was made to add your child to the waiting list. This questionnaire assists us in ensuring your child is seen in the correct type of pre-operative assessment appointment.

Failure to attend the appointment may result in your child’s procedure being cancelled or delayed.

A trained paediatric nurse will check your child’s medical and surgical history; take their blood pressure, pulse and oxygen levels as well as their height and weight. They will also take swabs; this is routine and checks for any infections that might affect your child’s procedure.

Other tests that may be required:

• ECG (Electro Cardiogram - this measures the electrical activity in the heart)
• Blood tests
• Spirometry (a simple test used to help diagnose and monitor lung function by measuring how much air you can breathe out).

Please bring these and the medication list along with you to the appointment.

If your child is under the care of a specialist doctor, for example heart or chest and you have copies of their clinic letters detailing care / treatment / investigations please bring them with you to your child’s appointment.

If your child has complex needs they may be seen by an anaesthetist.

We will attempt to answer all your questions at the appointment; however if we are unable to, then we will refer you on to one of our many colleagues such as an Occupational therapist, Physio or Social Worker that may be able to help. There may be an opportunity following your pre-operative assessment appointment to visit the ward.

If you would like any further information, please contact the Pre-operative Assessment clinic on 020 8909 5630.