SURGical Checklist for acc patients

You must have written approval from ACC before we can book a time for your operation.  The approval process is initiated by us after a consultation with you.  We are required to apply for surgery to ACC on your behalf.  On receipt of the request (ARTP or Assessment Report and Treatment Plan) ACC will carefully scrutinise the information as they are required to decided whether the request for surgery and subsequent approval for surgery is their responsibility or not.  In the most part this is a reasonably straightforward process but on occasion it can be quite a complicated decision making procedure.  Once again although ACC may have accepted your injury up till the time of submission of the ARTP they do not have to continue to accept the claim if they do not consider there to be a causal link between the reported injury and the requirement for surgery.

In the event they decline the request then you are entitled to appeal this decision.  For information on the appeal process click here.

Now that approval has been given out staff will contact you and offer you some dates for the proposed surgery.  Please be aware that depending on the type of surgery and a number of other factors ACC does have time frames within which the surgery is required to be undertaken although these time frames are reasonably broad.  If for some reason you decide against surgery or have to postpone it please understand that the approval given does eventually expire and you will have to go back through the whole process again if you should change your mind again at a later date.  If you are unsure what timeframe you have to have your surgery within please contact our staff

Once a date is selected our staff will give you directions as to what you need to do prior to the day of the operation. You will need to fill out admission forms for CREST Hospital.  Blood tests are occasionally required and if these are required please ensure you do get them done when requested.  Some medications may need to be stopped before surgery (particularly anti coagulants, such as Warfarin, Clopidogrel, Aspirin ) – if you are unsure about what you need to do about your regular medications please contact our nursing staff at the rooms.  Remember that medications include the oral contraceptive pill and alternative medicinal products and/or health supplements – e.g., Garlic and Evening Primrose Oil have significant anti coagulant properties.  Certain medical conditions have to be managed in particular ways to ensure the procedure is done as safely as possible (e.g., diabetes).  You will need to remain nil by mouth for 6 hours or more before most procedures involving anything other than a local anaesthetic – this is to reduce the chance of vomiting during or immediately after your surgery which can have very serious  (sometimes fatal) consequences.

You may attend a preoperative assessment at CREST hospital.  On most occasions the anaesthetist will meet you on the day of your operation but rest assured they will have already received a lot of information about your medical state and surgery prior to the seeing you.  Occasionally the anaesthetist will meet you a few days prior to your surgery it the surgery is more complex or you have significant other medical conditions.

For information on preparing for surgery click here.  For information on what to bring to the hospital click here.

On the day of surgery “sit back and try and relax” as the more calm you can be usually the smoother things will go.  Leave the worrying to us and the other medical and nursing staff who will look after you during your procedure and hospital stay.