After Your Surgery

You will usually go home the same day as your appointment.

Discharge times may vary depending on how you are feeling.

Do not drive yourself home.

A responsible adult must:
• take you home
• stay with you for the first 24 hours, if advised

Before you leave

The clinical team will check you are ready to go home.

You will be given:
• a letter for your GP (if needed)
• any medicines to take at home

If you need help

Tell us as soon as possible if you think there may be problems getting home.

You can wait in the discharge lounge if your lift is delayed.

After you go home, you can contact the Surgical Ward at any time with questions or concerns.

We will tell you your discharge date and time in advance.

You will usually go home at around 10am on the day of discharge.

Do not drive yourself home.

A responsible adult must:
• take you home
• stay with you for the first 24 hours, if advised

Before you leave

The clinical team will check you are ready to go home.

You will be given:
• a letter for your GP (if needed)
• any medicines to take at home

If you need help

Tell us as soon as possible if you think there may be problems getting home.

You can wait in the discharge lounge if your lift is delayed.

After you go home, you can contact the Surgical Ward at any time with questions or concerns.

If you need help with moving or walking after your treatment, our physiotherapy team will assess you and provide any mobility aids you need before you go home.

Consultants and private GPs can issue prescriptions related to your treatment at Kingsbridge.

Most medicines are available from our onsite pharmacies in Belfast and North West. Our pharmacy teams can check availability for you.

Before you leave:
• You will be given enough medication to cover your immediate needs after surgery.
• A nurse or pharmacist will explain how and when to take your medicines, so you feel confident at home.
• You will receive a copy of your discharge prescription to share with your GP.

Key information:
• All private prescriptions must be taken to a pharmacy and paid for directly by the patient.
• We can only issue and dispense prescriptions connected to your treatment at Kingsbridge.
• Prescriptions from outside Kingsbridge cannot be processed.
• Prescriptions must be embossed at the front desk before you leave (this replaces a signature).

Medication recommendations:
• Medications mentioned in clinic letters are recommendations only.
• A prescription must be issued by your GP if needed.
• Your GP will decide whether to prescribe the medication.

Take time to rest and allow your body to recover.
Take your medicines exactly as your consultant has prescribed.

Please follow the advice you were given before leaving hospital, including:
• what to eat
• when it is safe to return to activities such as driving and work

If you have any questions or worries once you are at home, you can contact the hospital ward directly for advice or reassurance.

Belfast and North West patients:
02890 688867

You may need a follow-up (post-operative) appointment to check how you are recovering and to discuss any questions or concerns. If a review is needed, it is usually arranged before you leave the hospital by a Ward Clerk. The timing of your appointment may vary depending on the type of procedure you have had.

Payment Information

Follow-up appointments do carry a charge, but this is usually included in the overall cost of your procedure, so you will not normally need to pay separately.

If your treatment is covered by insurance, please make sure we have your membership number and pre-authorisation number.

If this information is not provided, you may be asked to self-fund your appointment.