In non-specialist paediatric tertiary centres, consultant anaesthetists who care for children should have the opportunity to undertake regular supernumerary attachments to operating lists or secondments to specialist tertiary paediatric centres.
Healthcare workers, including the anaesthetist, must be aware of the local policy for child protection. They have an obligation to document and report any concerns to a responsible individual.54
Each unit should have a designated clinical lead (see glossary) anaesthetist for thoracic anaesthetic services. This should be recognised in their job plan and they should be involved in multidisciplinary service planning and governance within the unit.
There should be an identified group of senior anaesthetists who manage and deliver a comprehensive ophthalmic anaesthesia service, including the use of orbital regional anaesthetic techniques.2
The standard of monitoring equipment while performing regional anaesthesia should comply with Association of Anaesthetists’ standards of monitoring during anaesthesia and recovery document.32
Cardiac anaesthesia is a ‘key unit of training’ for stage 2 training in anaesthesia.42 Trainee anaesthetists should be of appropriate seniority to be able to benefit from this area of training.
When the anaesthetist is informed of a request for neuraxial analgesia (and the circumstances would be suitable for this type of analgesia) the anaesthetist should attend within 30 minutes of being informed. Only in exceptional circumstances should this period be longer, and in all cases attendance should be within one hour. This should be the subject of regular audits.27,115
Anaesthesia may be required for radiotherapy, to facilitate patient positioning and to alleviate pain. Owing to the unique nature of the procedures involved in radiotherapy, the remoteness of the location and the lack of direct access to the patient, only anaesthetists familiar with the therapy should embark on anaesthesia for these patients.48,50 The anaesthetic should be provided...
