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Home > Patients and visitors > Your stay in hospital > Day case procedures > Preparing for your operation or procedure

Preparing for your operation or procedure

There are a number of things you need to do to prepare for your admission.

In advance of coming to hospital, you will need to arrange for a responsible adult to accompany you home and to stay in contact with you for 24 hours following your procedure. 

Please shower or bathe, and remove make-up, nail varnish, gel/ acrylic nails, jewellery and piercings before coming in. 

Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that you can also travel home in.

The instructions below about eating and drinking on the day of your procedure must be followed, to avoid it being cancelled.

It is important to stay hydrated with water and please do not drink any alcohol for 24 hours before your appointment.

If you are having a general anaesthetic

For 7.15am admissions:
  • No food, milk, sweets or chewing gum to be consumed after midnight.
  • You can drink clear, still unflavoured water, black tea or coffee (without sugar or sweeteners) until 7am.
  • Try and drink a big glass of water before leaving the house.
  • You can sip water while you wait.

For 11am admissions:
  • Do not eat anything after 7am – including chewing gum or sweets; you can have a light breakfast of toast or cereal before then
  • You can drink clear, still unflavoured water, black tea or coffee (without sugar or sweeteners) until 11am.
  • Try and drink a big glass of water before leaving the house.
  • You can sip water while you wait.

It is not necessary to avoid food and drink for longer than the times given, as this could cause discomfort and may delay your recovery.

If you are having a local anaesthetic

If you are having a local anaesthetic, you can eat and drink as normal before your procedure.

What to bring with you

  • Glasses or contact lenses if you wear these along with containers
  • Hearing aids if you wear these along with a container
  • Dentures if you wear these along with a denture container
  • Walking aids such as frames and sticks, if you use these
  • Medicines – please bring your prescription and any prescribed or over-the-counter medicines that you usually take, including inhalers, creams and eye drops in their original packaging labelled with your name. If your medicines are supplied by your pharmacy in an organiser e.g. medibox, please bring it with you
  • A dressing gown, or similar, to help keep warm
  • Clean slippers
  • The phone number of the person collecting you.

You might also want to bring a book or magazine to read while you wait.

You can use a mobile phone or tablet but we do not have facilities to charge them.

If you have a learning disability and have a hospital passport, please bring this with you.

We are unable to accept any responsibility for loss or damage to your valuables or personal belongings. 

Please do not bring:

  • Large sums of money, bank cards or jewellery
  • Alcohol, cigarettes or e-cigarettes
  • Chargers for phones or e-cigarettes.