The team on Oak Ward felt that the admission process for children prior to their elective surgery was too busy and often chaotic and invariably did not include essential play preparation.  This could lead to incidents of children panicking in the anaesthetic room, negatively impacting on the experience of children, parents and staff. 

The team decided to test the introduction of a pre-assessment clinic, patient video and allocated slots for the play team with dedicated time to prepare children for surgery; all of which led to a measurable improvement in understanding of surgery and improved experiences for patients and staff. Read more…