What to expect on the day of your procedure

Before your procedure

You will receive your appointment letter, patient advice leaflets, a care plan, and consent form in the post. Please read these carefully and follow the instructions.

If you choose to have sedation for your procedure, you need to arrange transport home and someone to stay with you for 12 hours. You can’t work, drive, or look after children under 16 years old for 24 hours after sedation.

If you take blood thinning tablets, please call our anticoagulant specialist nurses on 0300 019 4665.

If you have a learning disability and would like extra support, please call 0300 019 4665 so we can create an individualised plan for you.

University Hospitals Dorset has Endoscopy Departments in Bournemouth, Poole and Wimborne. Your appointment letter will tell you which Endoscopy Department to go to for your procedure.

On the day of your procedure

Bring your care plan and consent form with you to your appointment. When you arrive in the department, please check in with the receptionist, who will show you to our waiting area.

When your name is called, you will be taken to one of our admission rooms and the procedure will be explained you. You will have the chance to ask a healthcare professional any questions and will be asked to sign a consent form to confirm you’re happy to have the procedure.

With consent, you will have your blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels, and blood sugar levels (if you are diabetic) checked. You may also have a cannula inserted or have blood taken.

After your procedure

After some procedures such as colonoscopy, we will take you to recovery. Here we will check your blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels, and breathing rate. When you’re ready, we will take you to our discharge lounge and give you your discharge paperwork. You will receive a copy of your report and a copy will be sent to your GP.

We do provide drinks and biscuits in our discharge lounge, including gluten free options. However, if you have special dietary requirements or would like something else to eat, we recommend bringing this with you.

We will contact you for follow up appointments if needed.