Preparation for Ophthalmology Surgery at Cheltenham General Hospital or Tewkesbury community Hospital

Your Healthcare Professional will advise who your assessment nurse was.

Blood tests before admission

You may need to have a blood test in the Edward Jenner Clinic, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital or West Block Outpatient Department, Cheltenham General Hospital before admission. If so, you will be given a form or forms for this at your pre assessment appointment.

Your healthcare professional will advise the day of your operation, the name of your surgical operation, the date of your admission (and the operation), and your expected length of stay.

The day of your surgery

Medication

On the morning of your surgery please take all of your normal medication at the usual time, unless you were told otherwise by your pre-assessment nurse. Tablets can be taken with a small amount of water.

Your healthcare professional will advise if there are any further instructions (if necessary).

Fasting

• Morning admission - do not eat any food, including sweets and chewing gum, after midnight on the evening before your surgery. From midnight up until 7:00am on the morning of your surgery you can drink clear fluids only (no tea or coffee). After 7:00am you can sip water, up to 170mls each hour, while you wait for your surgery.
• Afternoon admission - do not eat any food, including sweets or chewing gum, after 8:00am on the morning of your surgery. You can eat a light breakfast before this time. You can drink clear fluids only (no tea or coffee) until midday (12:00 noon) on the day of your surgery. After this you can sip water, up to 170mls each hour, while you wait for your surgery.

Personal hygiene

Have a bath or shower (or good strip wash) on the day of your operation. This is to stop any unwanted bacteria coming into hospital with you and to reduce the risk of infection. If you are unable to do this, have a bath or shower (or good strip wash) the evening before and sleep in clean bedding and nightclothes.

What to bring to hospital?

Please bring the following items with you:

• Your current medication, including inhalers, in their original labelled packs along with a written list of all the medications that you are currently taking and their doses.
• Current glasses/prescription.
• Do not bring anything valuable with you.

Problems before your operation

You should contact the Ophthalmology Admissions Office on 0300 422 4001 if you have any of the following, or if you are unwell between your pre-assessment appointment and your admission date (please visit your GP for treatment):

• You have a cough, cold or a chest infection.
• You have a skin infection (or a broken or sore area of skin).
• You are admitted to hospital or have another surgical procedure or your medications have been changed.
• If your eye looks red, inflamed, feels sore or has any discharge.

If your surgery needs to be postponed, we will arrange another date for you. We will then be able to bring in another patient for an operation on that date.

Smoking

Please be aware that smoking is not allowed anywhere in the hospital buildings or grounds.

We want you to have the best possible outcome from your surgery, giving up smoking before or during your hospital stay can speed up your recovery and help reduce the risk of complications.

It is never too late to stop smoking and there is plenty of support available to help you. To find out more, please contact your GP. Alternatively, you can contact Healthy Lifestyles - Gloucestershire, the details are at the end of this page.

On arrival at the hospital

• On arrival, you will be told your position on the operating list (for example first or second) and you will be given an approximate time that you will be going to theatre. You will then be asked to wait in the lounge area.
• Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate anyone staying with you, unless you have additional needs. We will need the contact details of the person who will be collecting you from the hospital after your surgery
• The nursing staff will take your blood pressure, check a few other details and apply your identification bracelet.
• The anesthetist and surgeon will meet you and discuss your anaesthetic/sedation and the operation.
• If you are not able to walk very far, a wheelchair will be available to take you to theatre.
• You will be asked to lie on a bed in the theatre area before going to the anaesthetic room. Your identification will be checked by an anaesthetic assistant.

In the event of your operation being cancelled

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust tries very hard not to cancel operations on the day of surgery. However, if this happens, we will aim to give you a new date for surgery before you leave the hospital.

If your surgery is cancelled, your friend, relative or carer will be telephoned to come to collect you. You will be given something to eat and drink before leaving.

Planning your discharge from hospital

Planning for your discharge home following your operation is very important. Knowing what time you are likely to go home can help to ease any worries or concerns that you may have. Early planning can also make sure you are able to go home as soon as your consultant is happy with your progress.

If you have had a general anaesthetic or sedation, you will need to arrange to be picked up from the hospital. You will also need a responsible adult to be with you for 24 hours.

Preparing to come into hospital

It is important that you are prepared for being in hospital and away from home. Here are some points for you to think about:

• Have you arranged who will bring you into hospital and take you home again?
• Who will look after you when you are discharged home?
• Who will help you with your shopping, or do it for you?
• Do you need to top up your freezer (if you have one) and cupboards to reduce the amount of shopping that needs to be done after your operation?
• If you have any pets, who will care for them while you are in hospital?
• How will you manage when you go home from hospital? Do you need to move things in your home for safety reasons? Should you move items, so they are easy for you to reach?
• Do you need to have your usual repeat prescription topped up, to avoid running out soon after your discharge?
• To help reduce the risk of infection, if you are currently using eye drops that are to continue after your operation, please obtain new bottles, ready to use.
• Make sure you have all your important contact details to hand, such as your GP’s surgery and hospital department, in case you need to contact someone after your operation.
• Make sure you have read and understood any leaflets about your operation, especially the sections about what to expect after surgery.
• If you have any additional needs, worries or concerns these should be discussed with Eyford Ward staff on 0300 422 4002 or the Pre-assessment Team on 0300 422 4001 before your admission.

Other sources of information

If you have internet access you may wish to visit the following websites for more information:

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Website: www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk

This is our Trust website which gives ward information, maps of the hospital sites and patient information leaflets.

Royal Collage of Anaesthetists

Website: www.rcoa.ac.uk/fitterbettersooner

This site has lots of information about how to prepare before your operation to enable a better recovery. It also has information about the most common operations performed in the NHS.

Further information

Healthy Lifestyles

Support to stop smoking.

Tel: 0800 122 3788

Email: glccg.hisglos@nhs.net

Website: https://hlsglos.org