Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU)

SAU hours of availability: 10:00 – 18:00 Monday to Friday

outside these hours call 02476965762 to speak with a member of the Surgical ACP Team

The Surgical Assessment Unit is based in Ward 12, First Floor, East Wing, University Hospital Coventry

Referral of Surgical Conditions

SAU currently accepts surgical patients that need to be seen by the following specialities:

• General Surgery
• Ear, Nose and Throat
• Maxillo-Facial
• Vascular
• Urology

There is now a GP Liaison Service established within SAU to provide a direct point of contact for GPs and other healthcare professionals so that surgical referrals can be taken and if emergency admission is not needed then to offer support on the most appropriate pathway for the patient

The GP Liaison Nurse can provide support in booking patients into hot clinics as well as assisting with any queries

Surgical GP liaison GP Contact only:

• Aimee Erinkitola – Surgical GP Liaison Nurse
• Telephone: 02476965762 (GP & Health Professional use only)
• Jabba phone: 41390 via switchboard
• Mobile: see secure link right
• Email: gpliaisonsurgery@uhcw.nhs.uk

When sending patients nil by mouth into SAU please ensure that they have a GP letter stating their presenting complaint, past medical history and drug history (including any allergies)

Please note that SAU has limited capacity for referrals and patients may be seen in A&E at certain times

Assessment

Please assess patient suitability for referral to SAU (versus ED) by consideration of of the secondary care validated NEWS scoring tool or primary care assessment of patient condition

SAU: Clinically stable   NEWS <5

ED: Clinically unstable NEWS >5 (Ambulance) Typically severe sepsis, hypotensive, tachypnoeic, hypoxic, tachycardic

 

 

Inclusion Criteria (*not exhaustive)

• Recent surgical admission- within 2 weeks
• Bariatric surgical procedure- within 6 weeks
• Previous gastric band insertion
• Abdominal pain
• Biliary Colic / cholecystitis  / pancreatitis
• Abdominal / Axillary abscess
• Lower GI bleed
• Stoma
• Surgical wound dehiscence
• Ischaemic limb
• Minor epistaxis
• Foreign body nose / ear / rectum
• Tonsillitis / Quinsy
• Otalgia / Otitis media
• Haematuria
• Kidney stones

Exclusion criteria

• Medical conditions leading to presenting complaint
• Gynaecology – PV bleeding
• Pregnancy
• End of Life Pathway
• Trauma & Orthopaedics / Plastics
• Patients requiring isolation (Diarrhoea)
• Active bleeding
• Leg abscess → Trauma & Orthopaedics
• Epiglottitis
• Stridor
• Complex Airway
• Button battery ingestion
• Urinary retention
• Suspected ruptured AAA → ED
• Suspected ureteric colic >60 year old male
• Dental pain (patient to see registered dental practitioner or emergency dental service)