From the Editor: Winter 2026
Due to the time frames involved in publishing the Bulletin, I’m writing this introduction in mid-December with the Christmas festivities still ahead. To that end – and as you are now in early January – I hope you enjoyed/survived the festivities (delete as appropriate) and that, as you sit and read through the excellent articles submitted by your colleagues in this issue, you’re encouraged and inspired by the bright future which lies ahead within our specialty.
Whether you’ve settled on your New Year’s resolutions or not, at this time of year, the world around us, and social media in particular, is always full of ‘good’ advice. Some is welcome when delivered with sound intentions, but, in reality, much more is probably better left unoffered. I was recently watching an interview with the actor Tom Hanks, who, when asked what the best advice he could pass on was, offered a list of three key attributes. These were firstly to turn up on time, secondly to know your lines, and finally to always have an idea to improve the scene. I find all three of these fit well with our career in anaesthesia and with the range of themes in this issue. Stay with me on this one...
Turn up on time
While you may think this is a given, for many of our colleagues, the working environment provides additional challenges, some of which are seen and some that remain unseen. In her article on breaking down barriers for disabled anaesthetists, Dr Rosanna Greaves describes the challenges she’s faced through being in a wheelchair in the clinical environment. She describes the way that she has embraced these challenges to succeed and even to flourish in her career. She rightly hopes that more medical students and doctors with disabilities see anaesthetics and pain as career options that are welcoming and adaptable – that being a doctor with a disability can come with advantages as well as challenges.
To provide an anaesthetic workforce that ‘turns up on time’, it’s vital we have a detailed understanding of who it is that’s providing this care. In her article, Dr Satya Francis outlines the initial feedback from the RCoA Census, which was carried out in 2025. The detail provided by RCoA members is sobering. However, it enables us to provide up-to-date feedback to the Governments of all four nations as to the ongoing urgent need for training up the next generation of anaesthetists.
Know your lines
In this issue, we have approached a number of the specialist societies and experts in their field to provide us with a run-down of the latest advances, guidance and updates in relation to their specialist areas. To truly help us all ‘know our lines’, we are grateful to Dr Kirsty Maclennan (obstetrics), Dr Kumaran Selvarajah (cardiac), Dr Hester Carter and Dr Kirstie McPherson (ENT and maxfax), and Dr Santhana Kannan and Dr Satya Francis (ophthalmic) for their articles that widen our understanding of the current state of play.
Always have an idea
Let it never be said that anaesthetists are short of good ideas. In this issue, we’ve taken a deeper look into a number of topics under the umbrella of Sustainability. These include articles from the RCoA Environmental Advisory Group looking at the implications of net zero for anaesthesia, a collaborative article reviewing the impact of how we choose to dispose of the drugs we use daily, and an innovative project in reducing desflurane use that has gone on to flourish in other ways.
Collectively, they highlight that the need to embrace sustainability in our working lives has never been more urgent. Oh, and on the theme of novel ideas, if you have any Playmobil in the house after Christmas, do read Dr Jones’ and Dr Mercer’s guide showing how this is now an essential tool in simulation training. You have read it here first...
New horizons
As the days start to get longer, if you’re looking to embrace a new challenge, I would encourage you to read the article by Dr Georgia Olenicz, who has chosen (in between CT3 and ST4) to utilise her anaesthetic skills to sail across the Atlantic. We wish her all the best and hope to chart her progress over the coming year (recently arrived in Antigua, I believe).
Finally, with a view to the future of our profession, I commend to you the excellent address delivered on Diplomates Day this year by Professor Ramani Moonesinghe OBE. You can both watch the recording of her address as well as read the transcript, as she encourages us all to remain curious, to keep our minds and options open and, most importantly, to look after ourselves and each other. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy this issue, and I wish you all the best for 2026.