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Trainees should have an appropriate balance between thoracic, cardiac and ICU training based on their individual requirements.⁶³

Trainees planning to embark in a career in cardiac anaesthesia should be encouraged to undertake training and accreditation in transoesophageal echocardiography.³⁹

Consultant anaesthetists intending to undertake anaesthesia for cardiac or thoracic surgery should have received training to a higher level in cardiac and/or thoracic anaesthesia, for a minimum of one year in recognised training centres, as part of general training.⁶¹ Those providing critical care for cardiac surgical patients should have received training to the minimum level as defined by the...

Consultant anaesthetists intending to follow a career in paediatric cardiothoracic anaesthesia should have higher training in general paediatric anaesthesia of at least one year followed by a specialist training period of an appropriate duration in the subspecialty.

All staff should have access to adequate time, funding and facilities to undertake and update training that is relevant to their clinical practice, including annual mandatory training such as basic life support.

Fellowship posts should be identified to allow additional training for those who wish to follow a career in cardiac or thoracic anaesthesia to help ensure there are adequate numbers of skilled anaesthetists in the specialty. These should be suitable for trainees who wish to take time out of training programmes, or for those who are post certificate of completion of...

Departments should consider providing all newly appointed consultants, particularly those with limited experience, with a mentor to facilitate their development in cardiac or thoracic anaesthesia.

Blood gas analysis (with the facility to measure serum lactate and the facility for rapid estimation of haemoglobin and blood sugar) should be available on the delivery suite.

There should be secretarial support for the department of anaesthesia, including the obstetric anaesthetic service.

Provision should be made to ensure access to appropriate healthcare professionals to support women who require their services, such as clinical pharmacists, dietitians, outreach nurses and physiotherapists.¹⁶