The aim of perioperative care is to minimise morbidity from postoperative complications and achieve early safe discharge from hospital. Outpatient preoperative assessment identifies patient-specific risk factors for surgery, to allow appropriate counselling of risk and so that any medical problems can be optimised and appropriate postoperative care plans made. This also allows those suitable for day case surgery to be identified with advantages to both the patient and the hospital. Careful management in the postoperative period of fluid balance, bladder care, analgesia, thromboprophylaxis and warmth aims to reduce the incidence of complications and aid their early detection and management.