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Admissions and Pre-assessment Unit, Chelsea
The Admission and Pre-assessment Unit (APU) provides a pre-operative assessment clinic and an inpatient admissions service.
Location, directions and parking
APU is located on the second floor of the Markus Centre at The Royal Marsden's Chelsea hospital.
Pre-operative assessment clinic
The pre-operative assessment clinic is a nurse-led clinic and plays an important part in the preparation for your surgery. It includes an assessment of your general health and fitness before surgery by carrying out various tests and investigations. If you have more complex medical issues you may be seen in an clinic led by an anaesthetic consultant.
Find out more about surgical pre-assessment:
- Before your appointment
- Changing or cancelling your appointment
- At your appointment
- After your appointment
A pre-operative assessment appointment can take up to two hours. While waiting, refreshments are available.
Inpatient admissions and discharge
APU also accommodates patients coming into the hospital for an inpatient stay.
Before being taken to your ward you will be asked to wait in the lounge area until your bed becomes available. During this time, a nurse will check your demographic details, carry out any tests that may be required (for example, blood tests or height and weight checks) and perform cannulation if required. APU staff will keep you informed about the ward you will be going to and give you an approximate waiting time.
We ask inpatients to leave by 10am on the day they are discharged from hospital. If you have to wait at the hospital for transport or to collect medications, you may be asked to wait in the APU.
Your inpatient stay
Find out more elsewhere on this website:
- Inpatient care
- Contact with friends and family
- What to bring with you
- How to recognise different types of staff by their uniform
- We ask patients to leave the ward by 10am on the day they are discharged
APU staff
Nursing staff in the APU are all experienced and specialised in pre-assessment, and are trained in skills such as phlebotomy, cannulation, ECG monitoring and physical examination. They work closely with consultant anaesthetists, assisting with cardiopulmonary and respiratory assessment and cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and with the multidisciplinary team to facilitate a holistic assessment of each patient.
The on-call clinical site practitioner is based on the APU 24 hours a day, working closely with the nurses on the wards and medical colleagues for support. This involves coordinating admissions, telephone triage to ensure patients are admitted accordingly to clinical need and acuity, and assisting patients with queries out of hours.
- Lead Sister: Manuela Trofor
- Matron: Victoria Ward
Contact details
Tel: 020 7808 2405 or 020 7808 2406