Your wellbeing is important to us, so making sure you are fit and healthy for your surgery is a priority.
If you feel unwell before your surgery
If you become unwell in the days or weeks before your surgery, please contact your surgeon’s rooms, or call the surgical admissions team on at the hospital at 04 57 6 1718 , if you cannot reach your surgeon. This helps us keep you and your whānau safe and ensures you receive the best possible care.
You should contact your surgeon or our surgical admissions team if you develop any of the following:
- Cold or flu-like symptoms – such as a sore throat, cough, runny nose, fever, or body aches
- COVID – symptoms or a positive test
- Breathing symptoms – including shortness of breath or worsening asthma
- Any infection – especially chest infections, urinary tract infections, skin infections, or infected wounds
- Gastrointestinal – vomiting, diarrhoea, or a stomach bug
- A new injury – such as a sprain, fracture, or open wound
- Any change in your health that makes you feel generally unwell.
Depending on your symptoms, your surgeon or anaesthetist may decide that it is safer to postpone your surgery until you are fully recovered.
Why this is important
Being unwell before surgery can increase risks during anaesthesia, slow down your recovery, or affect your ability to heal properly. Letting us know early means we can make the safest decision for your care. This may may mean delaying your surgery.