DAY-POL-001: Patient selection for same-day surgery

Policy · DAY-POL-001 · Version 1.0 · Approved by the ASF Expert Committee

Supports: 6.1

At a glance

A written selection process decides which patients are suitable for same-day surgery.
The criteria cover medical fitness, home support and access to care if complications occur.
Each patient is checked against the criteria before the day of surgery (DAY-FRM-001).
Patients who do not meet the criteria are referred for inpatient care.
Stop and get help straight away if: a patient is booked for same-day surgery without the selection check, or with no home support or no access to care.

1. Purpose

To make sure only patients who can safely go home the same day are treated as day cases (6.1).

2. Scope

Applies to	Clinical and support staff in the hospital
Locations	All wards, clinics and departments of the facility
When	Whenever the activity described is carried out
Does not apply to	Activities covered by another document listed in section 15

3. Definitions

Term	Meaning
Clinical lead	The doctor or nurse in charge of the area at the time

4. Background

Not every patient is safe to go home the same day. A written selection process, applied to each patient before the procedure, stops unsuitable patients from being operated on in a unit that cannot keep them safe.

5. Responsibilities

Role	Responsibility	Competence
Lead surgeon and anaesthetist	Set and approve the criteria	Clinician
Booking coordinator	Applies the criteria at booking	Administrative

6. Materials and equipment

Item	Requirement	Condition
Records and forms named in this document	Current version	Checked before use

7. Safety

Stop and call for help if a patient is at immediate risk. Do not delay urgent care to complete paperwork.

8. Before you start

Confirm the forms and equipment named in this document are available and current.

9. Procedure

Step 1. Check fitness.

Check medical fitness, home support and distance to care against the criteria (DAY-FRM-001).

Key point: Written criteria, not judgement alone.

Step 2. Decide.

Confirm the day-case booking, or refer for inpatient care, and record the reason.

Key point: Every decision has a reason.

Step 3. Review.

Review the criteria each year against outcomes and unplanned admissions (DAY-REG-002).

Key point: The criteria learn.

10. Decision points

No decision points in this procedure.

11. Special situations

Situation	Action
Out of hours	Follow the same steps. Use the on-call contact on the wall of the area.

12. Escalation

Any serious problem goes to the duty clinical lead at once and to the clinical director the same day.

13. Monitoring

Measure	Target	Frequency	Owner	If not met
Day cases with selection check recorded	100%	Monthly	Lead surgeon	Escalate to clinical director
Selection criteria reviewed in the last 12 months	100%	Yearly	Clinical director	Escalate to chief executive

14. Records

Record	Kept in	Retention
Record named in this document	Patient record or the area file	the period set by the facility’s records policy years

15. Training

Staff are trained in this document at induction and refreshed each year, with a recorded competency check.

16. Related documents

ID	Title	Use
DAY-FRM-001	Same-day selection checklist	Checklist
DAY-REG-002	Unplanned admission review register	Register

17. Evidence

Reference	Note
E-009	Based on the WHO Safe Surgery Saves Lives guidelines (2008).
E-006	ASF Policy Framework v1.2. Adapted.
E-009	ASF Expert Committee consensus.

18. Change history

Version	Date	What changed	Approval
1.0	the date of approval	First version	set Expert Committee approval

E-learning for this document

Ophthalmology & Day Surgery Safety (AMB-15)
Aftercare & Follow-up: Standards for Safe Discharge (H-06)

References

Accréditation Sans Frontières (2026). ASF Policy Framework v1.2. (E-006)
Accréditation Sans Frontières (2026). ASF Expert Committee consensus on Standard 1. (E-009)

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