Evaluating pre-operative care

Accounts of the establishment of a pre-operative assessment clinic (PAC) and the benefits to patients have been well documented. These initiatives have been in response to the Patient's Charter, the Health of the Nation, and an increase in patients' expectation of the service provided. The development of the PAC in orthopaedics within our unit originated through the insight of one consultant who had seen the benefits of this type of clinic before, while working in Canada. This paper describes the evaluation of our work.