Preparing for Surgery
Pre-Assessment
Purpose of your Pre-Assessment
- Assess your overall health and readiness for surgery.
- Identify any risks or conditions that may affect surgery or recovery.
- Help plan your care and support you before and after surgery.
Lifebox Online Health Questionnaire
- Your pre-assessment begins with completing an online Health Questionnaire through Lifebox, a secure digital tool used by SWLEOC to collect the most up-to-date and detailed information about your health
What is Lifebox?
Lifebox is a secure online medical questionnaire used as part of your pre-assessment. It allows you to share up-to-date health information directly with the SWLEOC clinical team—including your Pre-Assessment Nurse, Anaesthetist, and Consultant.
Although we already have access to your NHS records, Lifebox provides the most current and detailed view of your health. This helps us make quicker, more informed decisions and tailor your care to your individual needs.
Lifebox also allows us to closely monitor your clinical pathway and ensure you receive the safest and highest standard of care throughout your surgical journey.
- Shortly after being added to the waiting list, a member of our team will contact you to set up your personalised Lifebox account and provide instructions on how to register using your mobile number and email address. This allows you to complete the questionnaire conveniently at home.
- Please complete your questionnaire within 48 hours and watch the videos about your procedure. Completing this promptly is essential to move forward with your surgical journey.
If you experience any difficulties, please call us on 01372 735429 for assistance.
To access Lifebox, simply click the logo below:
Telephone Pre-Assessment
- Most patients will have a scheduled phone appointment with a Pre-Assessment Nurse.
- Please ensure you are in a quiet, private space with your latest prescription and any relevant medical documents or test results available.
- During the call, the nurse will:
- Review your Lifebox Health Questionnaire
- Discuss your medical history, current medications, and any ongoing or upcoming investigations
- Answer any questions and address your concerns
- The call may last up to 1 hour.
- You may be advised to:
- Stop certain medications before surgery (e.g., HRT, contraceptive pill, blood thinners, supplements)
- Reduce alcohol intake and stop smoking
- Avoid vaccinations for 2 weeks before and after surgery
In-Person Pre-Assessment
- All patients must attend an in-person appointment for pre-operative tests, which may include (depending on your medical history):
- Vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature, oxygen levels), height, weight
- ECG, MRSA and CPE swabs, skin checks
- Blood tests and X-rays
- You will be seen by a Healthcare Assistant, with a Registered Nurse available if needed.
- No fasting is required; please take your regular medications as usual on the day.
- Avoid applying creams or lotions on your limbs and chest before the appointment.
- The appointment usually lasts 30–60 minutes.
- If you are having joint replacement surgery, you will receive an antibacterial body wash and nasal ointment to start using 3 days before surgery, continuing for a total of 5 days.
Further Assessments
- Pre-Assessment Nurses will review your test results and contact you if there are any concerns or if further action is required.
- You may be referred to a Consultant Anaesthetist and scheduled for a High Risk Anaesthetic Clinic appointment if needed.
- Surgery may be delayed if further specialist intervention or clearance is necessary.
- It is vital that any underlying medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, high blood pressure) are well-controlled to minimise complication risks.
Anaesthesia Planning
- Your surgeon will usually discuss anaesthetic options with you during your clinic appointment.
- Most joint surgeries are performed under spinal anaesthesia, with optional sedation if preferred.
- Please report any past anaesthetic reactions in the Lifebox Health Questionnaire so alternative options can be considered.
- You will meet your Anaesthetist on the day of surgery unless you are high-risk and seen earlier in the High Risk Anaesthetic Clinic.
Once cleared by the Pre-Assessment team and/or Consultant Anaesthetist, your status will be marked as green on the waiting list.
- The Scheduling Team will then contact you with a surgery date based on your surgeon’s availability.
- Please inform the pre-assessment team of any changes in your health, medications, infections, any dental treatment, skin problems or wounds between appointments and surgery to avoid last-minute cancellations.
Preparing for Surgery Class
Please watch the video relevant to your surgery by clicking the button below.
It’s important that you understand all aspects of your upcoming procedure. The video contains essential information to help you prepare for both your surgery and your recovery.
Therapy Department
The SWLEOC Therapy team is a highly dynamic and integrated team of Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapist, Therapy Technicians and Rehabilitation Support Workers. We pride ourselves in our modernised approach to elective orthopaedic recovery and evidence based care, constantly striving for excellence through innovation and research.
At SWLEOC, we aim to ensure that you have the best possible recovery journey, tailored specifically to your needs. You will have input from the Therapy team at different stages of your journey, depending on the type of surgery you have. This is based on your pre surgery level of function, the type of surgery you have had and how you manage while you are with us in hospital. A member of the team will discuss this with you and please feel free to mention any concerns or questions you may have.
Before your Surgery
Most patients cope very well after their surgery and are fully independent. Based on the information you share with us in your lifestyle questionnaire (for total hip replacement, total and unicompartmental knee replacement and shoulder replacement), the team will assess whether you require any support or equipment after your surgery. One of the team may contact you to discuss this further and make the appropriate arrangements before your admission. Please watch this helpful video on how to prepare for your surgery
Preparing for Surgery
It is very important for you to keep your muscles working and joints’ moving before your surgery as evidence has found that this will make a positive difference to your recovery. These exercises will appear in your Journey Booklet and please click on the links below for the exercise videos.
Total Hip Replacement Pre-Surgery Exercises
Knee Replacement Pre-Surgery Exercises
Mid Stage Hip Replacement Exercises
Late Stage Hip Replacement Exercises
Mid Stage Knee Replacement Exercises
Late Stage Knee Replacement Exercises
Post-op care
We will aim for you to be recovering in the comfort of your own home as soon as possible. We aim to discharge most patients on the same day or the day after surgery (ie day 0 or 1). Occasionally patients will need a longer stay. You will be discharged with the medium term and long term exercise program and will have an understanding of what to expect during your recovery.