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A dedicated, skilled anaesthetic assistant should be available in all locations outside the operating theatre where anaesthesia is undertaken by an anaesthetist.³

Anaesthetists in an IPS post need to demonstrate an ongoing significant interest in acute pain management by involvement in continuing professional development (CPD), appraisal and job planning.

A Royal College of Anaesthetists/Difficult Airway Society airway lead should be appointed in all hospitals providing anaesthetic services.⁷

Additional programmed activities for consultant or autonomously practising anaesthetists should be allocated for elective caesarean birth lists and antenatal anaesthetic clinics (or to review referrals if no formal clinic is in place).²³ Time is required to identify and follow up potential anaesthetic morbidity and to arrange continuing investigation and referral.

Anaesthetists returning to paediatric practice after a period of absence should have a structured plan of induction and supervision in place which supports their learning needs so that they are competent to provide safe perioperative care for common non-complex elective and emergency procedures in children aged one year and older.⁶⁴

Anaesthetists should help to organise and participate in regular multidisciplinary courses and ‘skills and drills’ for emergencies.^{8,25,88,129,130,131}

Anaesthetists should be aware of legislation and good practice guidance relevant to children and according to the location in the UK.^{35,36,37,38,39}

Patients undergoing heart or lung transplantation may be under the age of 18 years. Anaesthetists must be aware of legislation and good practice guidance relevant to young and vulnerable adults.^35,41 Children undergoing transplantation should be cared for in a paediatric centre.

All cardiac units should have regular multidisciplinary morbidity and mortality meetings. These should have a list of patients to discuss in advance, an attendance register, and minutes with learning points. Consultant or autonomously practising anaesthetists should attend these meetings and, where possible, inclusion in job plans should be considered. Trainees should be encouraged to attend during their attachments.

Anaesthetists should be aware of legislation and good practice guidance²¹ relevant to children and according to the location in the UK.^22,23,24,25