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Older patients should be assessed for the risk of developing postoperative delirium. Preoperative interventions should be undertaken to reduce the incidence, severity and duration of postoperative delirium. Hospitals should ensure guidelines are available for the prevention and management of postoperative delirium that are circulated preoperatively to the relevant admitting teams.³¹

Hospitals should have local guidelines for when a patient dies in theatre or soon after in recovery.  This should include arrangements to maintain dignity for the patient and to give relatives the best support possible. It should also include arrangements to minimise the impact on other patients being treated in the theatre complex.⁶⁰

The lead obstetric anaesthetist should be responsible for the overall delivery of the service, which includes ensuring that evidence-based guidelines and protocols are in use and are up to date; monitoring staff training, workforce planning, and service risk management; and ensuring that national specifications are met, and auditing the service against these agreed standards, including anaesthetic complication rates. 

Transport of patients within the hospital and between hospitals should be undertaken in a timely manner, without unnecessary delays and in accordance with established guidelines and standards.^{9,78,79,80,81}