Nutrition

It is important to maintain a stable weight to ensure your body has sufficient energy to recover and heal after your operation.

You will find important information about eating a healthy and nutritious diet in our Enhanced Recovery Surgery School.

Good nutrition can lower your risk of infection and increase your energy and strength. You are encouraged to commence drinking as soon as possible after surgery. You should try to have at least two litres a day.

We aim to build you up to a full diet progressively. The speed of this will depend on the type of surgery you have had. If you can eat and drink, intravenous drips can be removed and oral analgesia can be provided. Both will help speed up your recovery.

We offer a protected meal times policy. This means that all non-emergency activities stop so that we can serve your meals and give assistance where it is needed. It allows you to eat your meals without distractions. We encourage you to use the ward dining room for all your meals.

Snacks are available on the ward 24 hours a day and to provide further nutrition in the post-operative period, three or four energy drinks are encouraged daily.