• Please arrive at the hospital and make your way to the front desk. Please let them know your details and that you are booked for elective surgery under the care of Mr. Daskalakis.
• You will be directed to the relevant floor or department.
• Once you have checked in, you will be taken to a private area to get ready for your surgery. Your nurse will give you a hospital gown and stockings to wear to reduce the risk of clots and may start an intravenous line to give you fluid and medications.
• You will then be seen by an anaesthetic consultant and myself. Please feel free to ask any last-minute questions. We know that this can be a stressful time for both you and your relatives, so please do not hesitate to ask us to contact your next of kin, after the operation if this helps you or your family.
• You will be then called for your surgery. Often you will walk to the operating room and lie down yourself on the operating table.
• Please bring what you need for the duration of your stay. Please also bring a few pairs of loosely fitting nightwear to be more comfortable at night. Please also bring your mobile phone, tablet, and laptop with the relevant chargers and or books that you may want to read while you are recuperating. Please also bring chewing gum which should be used ONLY AFTER your procedure. It helps to freshen your mouth and breath and helps to get your bowels moving sooner after most abdominal procedures.
• It is important that you stay mobile during your hospital stay, walking around the room and the ward once you are able, reduces risks of post-surgical complications, such as clots in the legs (DVT) and chest infections. You may be given a spirometer (disposable breathing device) to use to carry out breathing exercises, please use this as directed.

• After your surgery, you will be brought to the recovery room. A recovery room nurse will care for you and monitor you. You may experience some nausea or vomiting following surgery. This is not unusual and the recovery nurse will try to keep you as comfortable as possible. Other symptoms related to surgery and anaesthesia include shivering, headache, muscle soreness, sore throat, nervousness, or sleepiness. These symptoms usually resolve within 24 hours. If you have pain, be sure to tell the nurse. Medication can be given to ease your pain.
• Recovery times vary from person to person, usually around 1-2 hours. Our staff want to be sure that you are ready to go home before you are discharged or, if you are being admitted, transferred to your room.
• For your own safety you are not allowed to drive home yourself after surgery and after a general anaesthetic we insist that you are accompanied home on the day of discharge so please make arrangements for this.
• If you have any comments on your care please let us know directly by emailing. We will be in touch with you for more feedback after your discharge and if you would like to provide a testimonial. We would like your care to be of a standard that we would like for our relatives and loved ones. We will do everything we can to make your patient journey less stressful and more comfortable.

Thank you again for choosing us!