Pre-admission Assessment Clinic - Central Manchester University ...

Your child has an appointment for thepre-admission assessment clinic priorto undergoing a general anaestheticat Royal Manchester Children’sHospital. This leaflet explains whatto expect when you and your childattend the clinic.What is the pre-admissionassessment clinic?This is an out-patient appointmentwhich you will be asked to attend withyour child approximately 10 to 14 daysbefore they are due to be admittedfor their procedure or surgery. Theappointment lasts approximately 20minutes although some children mayneed longer if they require any tests orinvestigations to be carried out.What is the purpose of thepre-admission assessment clinic?• At this appointment you will havethe opportunity to discuss yourchild’s surgery or procedure and askany other questions you may have.• Your child’s fitness for generalanaesthetic will be assessed.• Your child may require tests andinvestigations before their admissionto hospital. These will be carried outor arranged at the pre-admissionappointment which means thereare less likely to be delays or thepossibility of your child’s procedurebeing postponed on the day theyare admitted.What will happen when weattend the pre-admission clinic?Your child will be assessed by thePre-admission Nurse Practitioner:• Detailed questions will be askedabout your child’s general health.• A physical examination will be carriedout; this will include listening to yourchild’s heart and breathing.• Any necessary tests or investigationswill be arranged, wherever possiblethese will be carried out at thesame appointment.Can someone else bring mychild to this appointment ifI am unable to attend?Your child must be accompanied bytheir parent or legal guardian as weneed to confirm and record accuratelyyour child’s medical history.Is there anything else I needto bring with me?Please bring with you any medications,inhalers or creams that your child iscurrently taking.What tests and investigationsmight my child need?Many children do not require anytests to be carried out before theiroperation or procedure; however,some children do. This will be discussedwith you as it depends on your child’smedical condition and the surgery orprocedure they will be having. Someof the tests which may be carried outare explained below:• Full Blood Count (FBC): This is a bloodtest to check your child does not havea low red blood cell count (anaemia).• Sickle Cell test: This is a blood test tocheck whether your child has or is acarrier of sickle cell disease. This testis only carried out if your child’sethnic origin indicates they may belikely to have sickle cell disease orcarry the disease.• Skin Swabs: Your child may requirea skin swab to check if they haveany infections, for example an earinfection. If your child has adischarging ear, this involves usinga cotton bud type swab, this maybe a little uncomfortable but willnot be painful.• Electrocardiogram (ECG): This is anexamination of the heart; stickerswill be placed on your child’s chest.The investigation usually only takesa few minutes.2 34

How do I contact thepre-admission department?If you have any questions or concernsbefore you are due to attend we canbe contacted on the telephonenumbers below. If we do not answerwe may be busy with patients, pleaseleave a message on the answeringmachine so we can call you back.Telephone:0161 701 3280 or0161 701 1649We are available Monday to Fridayfrom 7.00 am until 3.30 pm but youare welcome to leave a message atany time.No Smoking PolicyThe NHS has a responsibility for thenation’s health.Protect yourself, patients, visitors andstaff by adhering to our no smokingpolicy. Smoking is not permitted withinany of our hospital buildings or grounds.The Manchester Stop Smoking Servicecan be contacted on Tel: (0161) 205 5998(www.stopsmokingmanchester.co.uk).Can I have access toan interpreter?Where possible a parent who is ableto speak English should attend theappointment with your child. If thisis not possible and you require aninterpreter please contact us bytelephone before your child’sappointment informing us whichlanguage you speak. Please contactthe telephone number below.Translation and Interpretation ServiceDo you have difficulty speaking or understanding English?☎ 0161 276 6202/6342Royal ManchesterChildren’s HospitalOxford RoadManchesterM13 9WLRoyal ManchesterChildren’s HospitalPre-admissionAssessment ClinicInformation For Families© Copyright to Central Manchester University HospitalsNHS Foundation Trust5TIG 54/10 Produced March 2010 Review March 2012 (SF Taylor CM10605)