A new pre-operative assessment unit has been set up at Airedale Hospital to improve patient services.

The new unit will reduce the number of hospital visits patients have to make.

The aims of the unit are to reduce cancellations, make best use of beds and theatres, enable patients to ask questions and improve the process of leaving hospital after surgery. Unit manager Claire Parkinson said: "The new unit has more purpose built rooms, which are more comfortable for the patient and are more suitable for the job the staff have to do.

"Now when patients attend the out-patient clinic and their names are put on a waiting list for an operation, they are sent to the new unit immediately afterwards.

"This means they can receive all the relevant information about their operation, have the time to ask questions and they don't have to come back on a separate date.

"It is very much a one-stop approach. If the patient can't stay on that day, we offer them another appointment to suit them. It is all about patient choice and making access to the services easier and more convenient."

Nursing staff check whether patients are fit and healthy for their operation to resolve any medical problems and reduce cancellations.

Staff also try and make sure the patients understand what the operation involves and give out information leaflets, so they can read them at home and discuss the surgery with their families.

It is hoped the new unit will reduce patients' anxiety about hospital admission, by providing an opportunity to talk about the care they will receive during their stay and by identifying any problems that might delay surgery.