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Day Surgery
| The concept of day surgery implies that patients come into hospital for their procedures and go home the same day. Nowadays, many Day Units operate an "extended" or "23 hour" stay policy, which means that patients can stay in the Unit up 23 hours 59 minutes and still be classed as a daycase. The "23 hour" stay is determined by the day unit staff and is based on the needs of individual patients, in order to safeguard their safety. |  |
For most patients, having a procedure on a day case basis means that they return home as quickly as possible after the procedure, without the need to stay in hospital overnight. However, although the procedure takes place during a day, the recovery period should not be underestimated. For this reason, patients need to negotiate a return to work with their employers.
In order for patients to have their procedures on a daycase basis, it is essential that they can arrange for a responsible adult to:
- Collect them from the Day Unit and escort them home in a car or taxi.
- Stay with them and provide care (if necessary) for 24-48 hours after the operation.