Please note that these guidelines are currently under review and will be updated in due course
Summary
Preparing a patient for anaesthesia requires an understanding of the patient’s pre-operative status, the nature of the surgery and the anaesthetic techniques required for surgery, as well as the risks a particular patient may face during this time. Anaesthetists are in the unique position that they can offer all of these skills, and the ultimate responsibility for pre-operative anaesthetic assessment lies with anaesthetist. These guidelines have been designed to help anaesthetists provide high quality pre-operative assessment services and patient preparation before surgery. They offer advice and information on:
- Planned admissions
- Unplanned admissions
- Children and young people
- Tests and investigations
- The patient’s perspective