Chedworth Surgical Unit

The unit is located adjacent to the Oncology building on the Keynsham Road side of the hospital. It features individual admission cabins, post operative bay and discharge lounge specifically for our day case patients.

What to expect

Your appointment letter will confirm what time you should arrive at the unit on the day of your surgery.

The nurses will check your general health, and your consultant and anaesthetist will visit you before you before your surgery. You may also need to give a blood sample or have other tests.

Preparing for your surgery

Keep taking your regular medication on the lead up to your surgery, unless you have been advised to stop taking it by the hospital. This information will have been given to you by the Pre-operative Assessment team.

Ensure that you have basic analgesia at home i.e. paracetamol, Ibuprofen. The hospital will supply any other medication you will require.

You should have a bath or shower before arriving on the unit, and wash your hair. It’s particularly important that the area of your body due to be operated on is clean, as this reduces the risk of infection.

You will receive details of fasting before your surgery. Once you are unable to have anything by mouth, you should not:

• drink tea, coffee, or other drinks
• chew gum
• suck mints or sweets

What to bring

When you come to the Chedworth Surgical unit, you should bring:

Day case

• comfortable clothing to wear following surgery i.e. loose fitting, elasticated waist
• medication, including a list of what you are taking and your dosage
• books, magazines, mobile phone – you may be waiting for a time pre-operatively
• any food you wish to have post-operatively that we cannot provide i.e. gluten free, lactose free

Your belongings will be kept safe in a locker whilst you are having your surgery and will be retuned when you come back to Chedworth.

Surgical Admission (staying overnight)

• books, magazines, mobile phone – you may be waiting for a time pre-operatively and you may want these on the ward post-operatively
• dressing gown
• slippers
• toiletries
• comfortable clothes to travel home in
• medicine, including a list of what you are taking and your dosage

You should leave valuables at home, along with large amounts of cash, credit cards, and valuable portable devices.

Your belongings will be taken to the ward while you have your surgery. Please let us know if there is anything that needs to be locked away.

Going home

Before you can go home, you will be given instructions and contact numbers in case you have any problems after your surgery.

You will also need to arrange for someone to collect you from the hospital and stay at home with you until the morning after you have had your surgery.

You will also get a follow up outpatient’s appointment if required, along with advice on:

• rest
• diet
• activity
• pain control
• dressings
• wound care