THE fact pre-op checks are to become more streamlined is music to many patients’ ears.

The Royal Blackburn Hospital has announced patients scheduled for vascular, breast or general surgery are now being offered their pre-operative assessments on the same day as their first outpatient appointment.

And what a great idea this is.

Previously, the majority of patients had their “pre-op” right up to day before being admitted to hospital, often weeks after their first appointment.

This new system will hopefully reduce waiting times and prevent operations being cancelled for medical reasons, hospital bosses said.

Cancellations usually occur when patients are unfit to undergo surgery, or due to staff dealing with emergency patients.

For those due to go under the knife this latest scheme also reduces the number of visits to the hospital making the whole patient experience less stressful.

Lets hope the trial proves a winning recipe.

With the number of operations increasing each year and general numbers of staff depleting something needs to be. Well done East Lancashire Hospital Trust for thinking out of the box.