If you are having major surgery then you will receive a phone call a few days before you are due to come in where we discuss your general health and any concerns you have about the anaesthetic.

For smaller and day case procedures I will see you on the day of surgery either in the day stay unit or on the ward. After a discussion about your general health, fitness and regular medications you will be asked to sign a consent form to agree to have an anaesthetic for your operation.

When you arrive in theatre, you will be introduced to the theatre staff and we will do our final checks before starting.

Monitoring to look at your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and brain wave activity is attached. I insert a small line into a vein through which I can give fluid rehydration and any medication you need during surgery.

When everyone is ready, I give you the anaesthetic medication through the line and you fall asleep. While asleep, you will have a small breathing tube inserted through your mouth to keep your airway safe during the operation and when I’m happy that you are warm, safe and secure, Jane will start the operation.

At the end of surgery, I turn off the anaesthetic agents that are keeping you asleep and as they wear off, you will wake up. The breathing tube will still be in your mouth and you will hear me calling your name, asking you to take some slow deep breaths and open your mouth so I can pull the tube out. Very few people remember this stage. Once you are breathing well without the tube, we transfer you to your hospital bed and move you through to recovery, where you are monitored closely until you are awake enough to move through to the ward or to second stage recovery prior to going home.