If your appointment is at Royal Stoke please use the self-check in screens located in the main atrium to book in for your appointment. These screens are similar to those used in many GP surgeries. It will not let you check in any earlier than one hour before your appointment, then please report to the PreAMS reception. If your appointment is at County please go straight to the PreAMS reception desk to book in.
After your assessment it may be necessary to request further tests before your operation, this will be discussed with you and you will be asked for your agreement to carry out these tests.
These tests are often carried out before surgery, even for apparently healthy people, to check if you have any medical problems that might need to be treated before your operation or if you’ll need special care during or after the surgery
There are advantages to having preoperative tests, these include:
- Finding out if you are well enough to have an anaesthetic and proposed surgery, and assessing what risks may be involved.
- Helping to ensure you are going to get the best possible treatment
- Identifying medical problems that could be treated or pre-optimised before surgery or that could mean that you need special care to prevent or reduce the risk of having complications when you have the operation.
- Identifying medical problems that may require your treatment to be adapted to prevent or reduce the risk of complications.
- These tests may include screening for MRSA, having blood samples taken, recording of your heart trace (ECG) and/or a physical examination where your heart and lungs will be listened to. Please be aware that you may be with us for 2-3 hours, so please consider bringing a drink and/or snack with you. In some cases we may decide that you need a separate appointment to discuss your anaesthetic/surgery with one of the Consultant Anaesthetists. You will be provided with the date for this when you attend the department.