With such a minimal amount of time in the undergraduate curriculum allocated to anaesthesia, it is crucial that we maximise learning opportunities to inspire and develop future clinicians. Here is how we revolutionised the undergraduate anaesthetic placement at Northwick Park Hospital.
Why do medical students spend so little time on clinical placement with anaesthetics? As a foundation doctor one must be knowledgeable about a broad collection of topics; these include practical skills such as phlebotomy and cannulation, acute- pain management, and recognition and treatment of an acutely deteriorating patient. All of these are skills found within an anaesthetist’s armamentarium, placing us in the privileged position of being able to impart our knowledge to the next generation of doctors. As anaesthetics is a postgraduate specialty, our primary opportunity to help develop these skills for our colleagues is during their undergraduate attachment.
Hospitals should engage with networks in order to develop agreed care pathways based on age, comorbidity and complexity of procedure, as well as clinical urgency. Care pathways should relate to local service provision, staffing and geography.
The hospital business plan should address the predicted growth in surgical emergencies, ageing population and any changes as a result of regional specialisation.16 Future planning should be based on accurate and timely data. Mathematical modelling for matching theatre demand and capacity could be beneficial.25
