Scope

This document applies to all staff, regardless of grade or profession, who conduct Pre-Operative Assessment (POA) of adult patients prior to elective surgery. The document gives healthcare providers with a clear framework for safe and effective practice relating to POA and sets out the standards and competencies expected when performing this role effectively.

This document applies to adult patients who are scheduled to undergo elective surgical procedures. It outlines:

• criteria for who should undergo assessment at the Pre-Operative Assessment Clinic (POAC)
• the assessment process itself
• investigations patients should undergo before surgery
• instructions regarding modifications to regular medications in the pre-operative period
• actions and communication of the outcome of assessment at POAC
• actions and communication relating to abnormal test results