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Anaesthetists should be part of the multidisciplinary team engaged in development and implementation of enhanced recovery programmes in thoracic surgery.^32,33,40

All anaesthetic equipment should be checked prior to use in accordance with the Association of Anaesthetists’ published guidelines.¹²⁵ Anaesthetic machine checks should be recorded in a log and on each patient’s anaesthetic chart.

There should an anaesthetist^#ref-1

Anaesthetists should contribute to the education and updating of midwives, anaesthetic assistants and obstetricians.

The lead obstetric anaesthetist should be made aware of all complaints.

Operating lists should be made available to the anaesthetist before the list starts.

Trauma and orthopaedic surgery should be included in anaesthetic departmental audit programmes, including continuing audit of complications and adverse events. The trauma anaesthetists should have provision in their job plan to attend trauma MDT meetings for discussion regarding high risk patients.

Anaesthetists who care for children should have received appropriate training and must ensure that at annual appraisals competence in anaesthesia and resuscitation is deemed adequate for the cases undertaken by that individual.^3,4

Anaesthesia for non-theatre environment should be delivered by a competent individual with appropriate supervision; the level of supervision should reflect the severity of the case and the seniority of the individual in accordance with the RCoA's Guidance on Supervision Arrangements for Anaesthetists.¹⁷