Success of day-case surgery depends, to a large extent, on both effective control of postoperative pain and minimization of side-effects such as sedation, nausea and vomiting, analgesia must allow the patient to be discharged safely and without delay and after discharge, the patient must not require close medical or nursing supervision, either for the administration of analgesia or for safety reasons. Local and regional anaesthesia, alone or as part of general anaesthetic technique, offer major benefits to the ambulatory surgery patient who has an anxious nature and with proper techniques and agents, patients are able to be rapidly discharged with minimal side-effects and optimal pain control. Dispensing appropriate analgesia with clear instructions for the patient is crucial. Giving patients pre-packed analgesics for anticipated mild, moderate or severe pain, with clear directions has the potential for improving patient comfort at home.