Postbridge unit

Plan for your admission date and find out what to expect when you come in for surgery at the Postbridge unit.

Preparing for your admission

Make sure you arrive at the time stated on your admission letter. Please note: your admission time is not your procedure time.
Read the instructions telling you when you may last eat or drink.
If you had a preoperative assessment, re read the information given to you again.
Contact us if anything has changed since your last appointment. For example: weight gain, any new medicines you are taking, if you no longer have an escort or transport home. The contact number will be on your appointment letter.
If you want a chaperone, please arrange this before your admission date. You can contact the unit or do this at your pre-assessment appointment. Contact details are on your appointment letter. Your escort can come to the door, but not in the unit, due to limited space.
Patients with special needs. Tell us before your admission if you have any special needs. We will do our best to provide the most appropriate help.
Ensure you have a good supply of pain killers at home, for example paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Don’t bring much in with you.

Bring your essential item in a small bag that closes well. Make sure you include:

You should also bring:

Your relatives contact numbers
If you need to claim travel fees, your Income support/ family credit book. Find out more about the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme
Walking aids - walking stick / frame etc if usually used

Do not bring:

Valuables or large sums of money into hospital. We cannot be held responsible for valuable property.

It is important that you follow the instructions for eating and drinking on the day of admission.
Take your usual medications unless you have told otherwise at your preassessment appointment.
Please have a shower on the morning of your admission
Remove nail polish, false nails, false eye lashes and as many piercings as you can.
Leave your jewellery at home

We have a staggered admission from 7am, your letter will tell you what time you need to arrive. Please do not arrive before this time.
Your admission time on your letter is not your procedure time.
You will be called in to the unit in time order as per your letter, not your time of arrival at the unit.
Our nurse will welcome you to the unit .
At reception our staff will ask you to confirm some details about yourself. This includes your name, date of birth and GP
We will direct you to our waiting area and a seat.

When it is time for your surgery, the following will happen:

The nursing team, your consultant surgeon and anaesthetist will see you. They will check if anything has changed since your preassessment appointment. You can ask questions about your procedure and will need to confirm your consent.
You will be asked to change into a gown.
A nurse will collect you and walk with you to the theatre suite.
Your belongings will be securely locked away.
You will wait in our reception area before going into theatre. You may find you are here for a while, waiting to be called in.
You may be taken to either the anaesthetic room or straight into the operating theatre.
Here you will meet the team that will be looking after you during your surgery. There may be several people.
One final check list will take place before monitoring is attached and you are placed on a drip.
Your anaesthetist will then send you off to sleep. They will be there to look after you throughout the whole procedure.
Once your surgery has finished, the anaesthetist will wake you up and you will go to the recovery room.

If your procedure involves sedation rather than a general anaesthetic, the following will happen:

You will be talked through the procedure and asked to lie down in bed, on your left side.
Sedation will be given and it takes effect very quickly. It is a conscious sedation.
You will be awake during the procedure, and you might even be able to watch the procedure on the screen.

After your surgery you will go to the recovery room:

In recovery, you will be monitored by a nurse until you are fully awake. The time this takes varies, but you should expect to be in recovery for at least 20 minutes, up to an hour or so.
When the nurse and anaesthetist are happy you will go to the Postbridge Unit or to your specific ward
If you go back to the Postbridge unit the nurse will hand over your care to the Postbridge team. You will have your blood pressure and observations recorded.
You will be offered a hot drink and a sandwich or biscuit. You may may wish to bring in your own biscuit and snacks for after your procedure. If you have special dietary needs let us know in your pre-assessment appointment.
The nurse will ensure you are comfortable and explain what you need to do before you can go home.
You will be told when to change out of the hospital gown into your own clothes

If you are a day case patient, you may stay up to a couple of hours after surgery. You will be discharged when you are clinically fit to go. You will be given post operation instructions and any medication.
Make sure you have an adequate supply of pain killers at home.
Your escort will be contacted to come and collect you either from the unit or our Discharge Lounge on level 3.
You will need someone to look after you for 24 hours after your anaesthetic.

Some patients will have a planned overnight stay on Postbridge after their surgery.
The morning drug round starts at 6am to ensure you have adequate pain relief.
You will be asked to get dressed into your own clothes and have breakfast at 7:30am.
If you are well, we will aim to discharge you home or to the Discharge Lounge before 10am.
We will call your escort to pick you up. Your escort will need to collect you in person.