The Pre-Admission Resource Centre (PARC) opened at the Royal Children's Hospital in January 2007.  The main objective of our PARC at RCH is to assist children and their families in being adequately prepared for elective surgery. 

The Pre-Admission Resource Centre (PARC) is a family-centred service available to all surgical patients, to prepare them for elective surgery. During an appointment with the medical staff you will have a discussion regarding your child's surgery and they will then be placed on the waiting list. Once on the waiting list you will receive a phone call from one of the PARC nurses to go through a Pre Surgery screening checklist. If deemed necessary, an appointment will be made for your child with a member of our anaesthetic team. This can be as simple as a telephone call or a face to face appointment. Anaesthetic clinics run at RCH on Monday and Thursday afternoons.

The Pre Admission Resource staff are available Monday - Friday during 0800 - 1630 on 9345 4193 or 9345 4115. Alternatively, if you are in the hospital PARC staff can be contactable by speaking to the staff at Reception J, 3rd floor.

2 business days prior to your child's admission you will also receive a call from an admission nurse who will provide information on arrival times, fasting details and perform a wellness check.

Potential benefits from attending the clinic include:

• Decreased anxiety levels prior to hospital admission due to education and familiarisation with the hospital.
  
• Many queries which a child or caregiver may have can be addressed prior to the surgery date.
• Ensuring the child is well for the prescribed surgery - A decrease in day of surgery cancellations due to illness.
• Being informed and having an increased preparation for the hospital stay, discharge planning and recovery phase.