Frequently asked questions

The Planned Care Improvement Team have worked with BADS to developed a FAQ document about the BADS Directory.

The full document can be downloaded via this link.

Answers to the latest questions

If a patient is admitted in a day surgery unit and then stays in hospital over night, but is in hospital (from admittance to discharge) for less than 23 hours can this be classed as day surgery/day case?

No, despite trying to persuade the Department of Health to accept new definitions we are compelled to use the normal NHS definition. Basically anyone in a bed at midnight is classified as an inpatient. We have argued for a second definition for 'Ambulatory Care' where patient is discharged within 23 hours but this has not been accepted.

However it is important to realise that maximising this group of patients i.e. those who stay under 23 hours can have a dramatic effect on bed requirements - especially when coupled with good day surgery rates.

Can you tell me the official rules in terms of measuring 23 hour day surgery - ie is it admission to discharge or admission to theatre?

It is admission time to discharge time and we would normally allow all patients with LOS = 1. Sorry but no prizes given for getting elective patients to theatre within 23 hrs of admission – we are concentrating on admission on the day of surgery.

I am looking for some information about day case tonsillectomy which we are exploring as a new initiative. In particular do you have documents, information, evidence etc regarding day case tonsillectomy? Or advice about where to access this?

Salisbury have been doing these for years and they did an article which is free on the BADS website (click here).
If you are a member of BADS have a look in the abstracts database in the members area – there are over 28 publications listed.
In the presentations database you will find a presentation from Glasgow Royal Infirmary about day case tonsillectomy in adults. Finally Halifax have also been doing day case tonsillectomy in children for some years now.