The potential for pre-admission assessment clinics has been discussed for many years, but only recently have such clinics been developed. This article reviews how one clinic was conceived and developed. The perceived belief its included improved patient care, opportunity for informed choice, reduction in patient cancellation rates and improved utilisation of theatre time

As far back as the 1940s, pre-admission clinics were being advocated for use of ‘those patients whom the surgeon thought might benefit’ (1). In 1972, Crosby et al (2) carried out an experiment to assess the benefits of such a clinic which strongly supported the view that waiting lists should be abolished and, ‘patients should undertake detailed assessment in the outpatients department before booking their admission for elective surgery.’