Day Case Patients
Being a Day Case Patient
Being a day case patient means you come in and go home again on the day of your operation.
You do not have to stay overnight in hospital and you can get back to the comfort of your own home sooner. Patients actually recover quicker at home. You will probably sleep better and you will be at less risk of infection.
You do not have to stay overnight in hospital and you can get back to the comfort of your own home sooner. Patients actually recover quicker at home. You will probably sleep better and you will be at less risk of infection.
The team which cares for you in hospital will always make sure you are fully prepared to go home. They will discuss pain relief and things to look out for and they will give you a telephone number incase you have any queries.
Thanks to medical advances, more and more operations can be performed as day cases. However, before we ask you in as a day case we will always assess your needs. Sometimes there will be clinical reasons why we ask you to stay overnight either before or after your operation.
If you are a day case patient it is very important to:
- make transport plans to get home. If you think you will be unable to get yourself home safely, ask a relative or friend before you come in if they can collect you. If you are a patient in the Raedwald Day Surgery Unit, you must have a responsible adult collect you and stay with you overnight when you get home.
- have the medicines you need ready for when you arrive home. In most cases, if the hospital prescribes you medicine you will be charged the prescription costs. The Raedwald Day Surgery Unit can only prescribe medication you cannot get over the counter so remember to stock up on pain relief before you come in.
Related documents and links to further information