Chapter 11: Guidelines for the Provision of Anaesthesia Services for Inpatient Pain Management 2024
The IPS should consider facilitating anaesthetists in training to participate in inpatient pain audits and research as part of their training.57
The IPS should consider facilitating anaesthetists in training to participate in inpatient pain audits and research as part of their training.57
In units offering a 24-hour regional analgesia service, the duty anaesthetist should be resident on the hospital site where the regional analgesia is provided (not at a nearby hospital).
The lead obstetric anaesthetist should ensure that there are continuing quality improvement projects to maintain and improve the care in their units.28
Anaesthetists and anaesthesia assistants working without direct supervision in obstetric theatres and on the delivery suite should be familiar with the environment and working practices of that unit and work there on a regular basis to maintain that familiarity.
Women requiring critical care in a non-obstetric facility should be reviewed daily by a maternity team that includes an obstetric anaesthetist.11
A Royal College of Anaesthetists/Difficult Airway Society airway lead should be appointed in all hospitals providing anaesthetic services.7
Options for anaesthesia and all aspects of perioperative care, including risks and benefits, should be discussed with the patient by the responsible anaesthetist.35
Service developments outside the operating theatre (e.g. interventional cardiology) often place unintended demands on anaesthetists. The business plans for such services should include provision for anaesthetic services.
Robust procedures should be in place to report and investigate adverse incidents involving equipment, staff or patients. The published outcomes of these investigations should be disseminated to all relevant anaesthetists and others.
Anaesthetic assistants whether nurse or operating department practitioners, should be trained in the preparation of this specialist equipment to be able to support the anaesthetist in the delivery of lung isolation and one lung ventilation.