Operating surgical theatre facilities are provided in the Ulster Hospital, Lagan Valley Hospital and the Downe Hospital. They provide a service to various specialties.
Patients may be admitted to hospital for planned surgery as an inpatient, either the day before surgery or the day of surgery. Patients may also have their surgery undertaken as a day case.
Elective care will take place between a 9.00am – 5.00pm Monday – Friday and non elective and emergency care is on a 24/7 service provision at the Ulster Hospital via the Trust Emergency Departments.
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Before your Surgery
To ensure you are fit for surgery you might be invited to attend and appointment to our Pre- Operative Assessment Service.
Pre-Operative Assessment is process to ensure that the patient is as fit as possible for their intended surgery. It ensures patients are prepared for their procedure and offers them an opportunity to further discuss and understand what their surgery involves.
Following the surgeons decision to treat, patients are offered a pre-assessment appointment either through a screening questionnaire or face to face clinic.
At a face to face clinic, patients will be seen by the Pre-Operative Assessment Nurse who will take a detailed medical history with the patient alongside performing clinical investigations. Additionally, patients will have access to a range of multidisciplinary personnel and departments if it is indicated necessary. This may involve patients being assessed at the clinic by Consultant Anaesthetists, Specialist SHOs, Specialist Nurses, Dieticians, Cardiac Investigations or the patient may be referred back to primary care for further management if indicated.
The pre-operative assessment team are committed in providing a high quality service alongside offering a holistic approach to all patients.
Pre-Operative Assessment also provides a contact point for patients until they are deemed suitable to proceed for surgery.
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Coming into Hospital for your Surgery
Day Surgery
If you are coming in for a Day Procedure your letter will tell you which Day Procedure Unit to attend, what to bring and any other preparation as well as what to expect on the day.
The Ulster Hospital has its own Day of Surgery Admissions (DOSA), which admits and looks after patients coming in for planned surgery.
When you arrive, they’ll explain what’s going to happen throughout the day and you can ask any questions. Then you can get changed and you’ll be taken to theatre for your surgery.
After surgery, day case patients can recover in the post-operation lounge in reclining chairs or trolleys until you are ready to be discharged and go home before 5pm; or if you require an inpatient stay you will be return to one of the inpatient wards after your surgery.
Inpatient Surgery
If you are being admitted for surgery your letter will advise you whether you are being admitted on the day of surgery via the Day of Surgery Admission Unit (link) or via another method.
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Ulster Hospital Theatres
The Ulster Hospital provides elective surgery and 24 hour emergency surgery to the following specialties both as inpatient and day case surgery:
- General Surgery
- Urology
- Breast
- Colorectal
- Plastic Surgery
- Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery
- Gynaecology
- ENT
- Trauma and Orthopaedics
The Ulster Hospital Critical Care Complex has operating theatres, one of which is a dedicated emergency theatre. There are also two paediatric theatres.
The Ulster Hospital Day Procedure Unit for day case surgery is located in the Inpatient Ward Block at the Ulster Hospital with a total of four theatres and an Endoscopy suite containing three endoscopy rooms.
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Lagan Valley Hospital Theatres
Lagan Valley Hospital has three theatres, a treatment room and an endoscopy suite providing daycase surgery to the following specialties:
- General Surgery
- Urology
- Gynaecology
- Endoscopy
- Plastic Surgery
- Dental
- Vascular
- ENT
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Downe Hospital
Downe hospital has one theatre and an endoscopy suite providing day case surgery to the following specialties:
- General Surgery
- Urology
- Trauma and Orthopaedics
- Gynaecology
- Ophthalmology
- Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery
