The anaesthetic workforce: UK State of the Nation reports
Background
Our State of the Nation reports provide a comprehensive overview of the UK anaesthetic workforce. They highlight the essential role of anaesthetists in delivering patient care; while examining the key challenges affecting the profession and the implications this has on the wider health system.
Each report presents detailed, evidence-based analysis, followed by a series of actionable recommendations designed to strengthen the anaesthetic workforce and ensure its future.
Key findings
- Anaesthetists are vital to addressing NHS waiting lists because most operations cannot take place without them.
- There are around 10,500 consultant and SAS (specialists, associate specialists and specialty doctors) anaesthetists in the UK. However, this number is around 1,900 (15%) short of what is needed.
- We estimate this shortfall is preventing roughly 1.4 million operations and procedures from taking place per year and increasing expenditure on expensive agency locum staff.
- The supply of anaesthetists is constrained by inadequate numbers of training places and poor retention.
- Workforce shortages impact the existing workforce by putting additional workload on doctors, fuelling burnout and harming retention.
- Addressing these issues requires more funded anaesthetic training places and measures to boost retention.
How we use these reports
The State of the Nation reports are key aspect of our advocacy work. They help us present a compelling case to Governments, NHS leaders, and other key stakeholders on the essential contribution of anaesthetists in UK healthcare and the need to address the challenges they face.
Expanding the anaesthetic workforce is a top priority for the College. These reports provide evidence to support this goal, offering a clear set of evidence-based recommendations to guide workforce policy and planning.