Surgery planner
Your first appointment will be witha consultant or another member of the surgical team.You canbring someone with you to this appointment.
At this stage, it's not guaranteed that surgery will be right for you. Only the consultant can make this decision, after carrying out tests, making a careful assessment and weighing up all the treatment options available to you.
You may want to ask your specialist the following questions:
If an operation is necessary, this will be your chance to find out what the operation involves, why it's needed, and whether it's suitable for you. Below are some questions you may want to ask:
Don't be afraid to ask practical questions, such as:
Make sureyou discuss any concernswith the consultant.
You may wish to ask if there'sany written information about the operation or procedureyou can take away with you.
The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) website has the answers to more questions about surgery .
At the end of the session, your consultant may book your operation or ask you to come back for a further appointment. Once booked, you should receive a letter with details of your operation, asking you to confirm you're happy with the proposed date and time.
Before having a plannedoperation, yourconsentshould be obtained by the surgeon well in advance. This is to ensure you have plenty of time to examine any information about the procedure and ask questions.
If you change your mind at any point before the procedure, you're entitled to withdraw your previous consent.
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See preparing for surgery for information and advice on getting ready for your operation.
If you're considering having an operation or your GP has suggested you may need surgery, this guide is for you.
Your first appointment will be with the consultant in charge of your treatment at your chosen hospital.
In the days leading up to your surgery, you'll need to make travel arrangements for getting to and from the hospital, and think about what to pack.
Your admission letter from the hospital will tell you the date and time of your operation, and what time you need to turn up.
After surgery youll be moved to the recovery room, where youll be told how the operation went.
Don't be surprised if you feel very tired when you get home, especially if you've had a major operation or a general anaesthetic.