Structure, Organisation and Regulations

The Royal College of Anaesthetists is the professional body responsible for the specialty of anaesthesia throughout the United Kingdom. Its principal responsibility is to ensure the quality of patient care through the maintenance of standards in anaesthesia, pain medicine and intensive care. The College’s activities include:

• Setting standards of clinical care
• Establishing the standards for the training of anaesthetists and those practising critical care and/or acute and chronic pain medicine
• Setting and running examinations
• Continued medical education of all practising anaesthetists

Organisation
The College is made up from an elected Council of practising anaesthetists. The President and two Vice-Presidents are elected by the Council from their members.  Particular areas of work are considered by the College Council and a series of Boards and Committees. The administrative functions of the College are organised into four operational Sections and are carried out by approximately 70 members of staff:

The Chief Executive’s Office
Chief Executive
Finance
Membership and Subscriptions
IT
Facilities
Room Bookings
Reception

The Education and Research Directorate
Events and Meetings
HR
Faculty of Pain Medicine
Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
College Archives
Health Services Research Centre (HSRC)
National Institute of Academic Anaesthesia (NIAA)
Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthetists (ACTA)

The Professional Standards Directorate
The President
Professional Standards
Editorial and Communication
Advisory Appointments Committees (AACs)
Patient Liaison Group (PLG)
Anaesthesia Review Teams (ART)
Patient Safety
Revalidation
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Training and Examinations Directorate 
Training
Examinations
Quality Assurance (of Training Environments)
Appointment of Regional Advsisers and College Tutors
Overseas Doctors
Equivalence
Adult and Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine