SafeSurgiSpace Independent patient safety
Independent patient-safety education No hospital booking No paid ranking No hospital or doctor named Our security rules

Free · printable · no sign-up

The questions to ask, at the stage you are at

Most people leave a consultation realising too late what they should have asked. These are 490 questions pulled from every guide in the library and sorted by when you need them. Print the stage you are at, or open it on your phone in the waiting room.

Every one of these is a fair question that a hospital can answer. If a question is brushed aside, treated as rude, or answered with “trust us” — that is information too.

25 operations covered

After surgery, still in hospital

Pain control, early complications, and what has to be explained to you before anyone asks you to sign a discharge.

Rights guide

Consent, records and your rights: what you can insist on before you sign

  • Exactly what was done, and did it differ in any way from what I consented to?
  • May I have the operation notes, the anaesthetic record and the discharge summary?
  • When will the histopathology report be ready, and how do I collect it?
  • May I have the fully itemised bill rather than a summary?
  • What was implanted, and can I have the implant sticker, batch number and invoice?
Read the full guide
Decision guide

How to get a second opinion that is actually independent

  • Do you and my first doctor disagree about the diagnosis, the timing, or whether the operation is needed at all?
  • What further test would settle this disagreement?
  • What is the safest plan while I decide, and what warning signs should bring me back sooner?
  • If I choose to wait, when should I be reviewed and by whom?
Read the full guide
Common operation

Tonsils and adenoids: the numbers that justify surgery in a child

  • What exactly was removed, and did anything differ from the plan?
  • What is the pain relief schedule, with doses and times, for the next week?
  • How much should my child drink each day, and what are the signs of dehydration?
  • What does normal healing look like in the throat?
  • What do I do if there is any bleeding, and where do I go at night?
  • When is follow-up, and when can my child return to school?
Read the full guide

Works for every operation

If your surgery is not in the library yet

These apply to any procedure, anywhere. They are the five things that decide whether an operation was necessary, safe, honestly priced and properly consented.

1

Whether you need this operation at all

  • What happens if I do nothing for three months? Name the specific risk.
  • Is this an emergency, is it urgent, or is it planned? Say which one.
  • What non-surgical treatment exists, and why is it not right for me?
  • Which test result or examination finding makes surgery necessary?
  • How many people with my exact findings get better without surgery?
2

Who operates, and with what experience

  • Who performs the operation, and will that person be present for all of it?
  • What is their qualification in this specific procedure?
  • Will any part be done by a trainee, and who supervises?
  • Who gives the anaesthetic, and are they a qualified anaesthetist?
  • How many of these do you do in a year?
3

Money, in writing, before you sign

  • Give me a written estimate that includes implants, ICU and consumables.
  • What is not covered by that estimate?
  • What happens to the price if I stay longer than planned?
  • Which implant or device are you using, and what does it cost?
  • If my insurance rejects part of this, what do I owe?
4

Consent that is actually informed

  • What are the three most common complications, and how often do they happen here?
  • What is the worst realistic outcome?
  • Can I take the consent form home and read it before signing?
  • Can I have a copy of everything I sign?
  • Am I allowed a second opinion first? (You always are.)
5

Recovery, said out loud before you agree

  • How many days off work, honestly?
  • What will I not be able to do, and for how long?
  • What follow-up is included, and what is charged separately?
  • Which symptoms after discharge mean I should come back immediately?
  • Who do I call at 2am if something goes wrong?

Long-form checklists

Written checklists with the reasoning included

These explain why each question matters, which helps if you are the family member doing the asking.

Surgery checklist

Hernia surgery: questions to ask before admission

A simple patient-family checklist for consent, anesthesia, billing clarity, infection prevention, and discharge.

4 min read
Two things this page cannot do. It cannot tell you whether you need surgery — only an examination and your reports can. And it is not a reason to delay: some conditions get dangerous quickly, and each guide says so at the top. If your symptoms are severe or sudden, stop reading and call 112 or 108.