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Perioperative time should be allocated for the work the anaesthetist undertakes on the day of surgery for both preoperative and postoperative care. The times allocated might vary per patient but for most theatre lists, it approximates to one hour per four hours spent in the operating theatre suite or two hours per eight hours in the operating theatre suite.

Anaesthesia departments should make arrangements to allow anaesthetists working solo during long surgical procedures or on overrunning lists to be relieved by a colleague or AA for meal and comfort breaks.^110,111,112

There must be the ability to provide the patient with the appropriate chaperone, as per GMC guidance on intimate examinations and chaperones.¹¹ When examining a patient, anaesthetists must be sensitive to what the patient may consider as intimate, which could include any examination where it is necessary to touch or even be close to the patient.

The anaesthetist should ensure that an adequate supply of oxygen is available before starting any procedure. Many of the sites where anaesthesia is provided outside the main operating theatres do not have piped oxygen; if anaesthesia is provided frequently in such a location, the use of the location should be reviewed or piped oxygen provided. 

In a designated major trauma centre the receiving trauma team should include an anaesthetist,³² and, where possible, this should be an appropriately experienced consultant.³³

Anaesthetists providing sedation for dental procedures should follow the guidance on safe sedation published by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Intercollegiate Advisory Committee on Sedation for Dentistry (IACSD).^35,36,37

Departments might occasionally need to consider allocating two consultants  or other autonomously practicing anaesthetists to work together to provide direct clinical care to patients undergoing major vascular procedures. Examples might include the exploration of infected aortic stent grafts or open thoraco-abdominal aneurysm repair.

The anaesthetist should contribute in the multidisciplinary perioperative care process which focuses on preoptimisation, patient education, standardised enhanced recovery pathways of care aimed at delivering early mobility, discharge, and early return to normal life.^46,62 The option of doing nothing should be considered where relevant.^63,64

In all centres admitting children, one or more anaesthetist should be appointed as clinical lead (see Glossary) for paediatric anaesthesia. Typically, they should undertake at least one paediatric list each week and will be responsible for co-ordinating and overseeing anaesthetic services for children, with particular reference to teaching and training, audit, equipment, guidelines, pain management and resuscitation. There should...

Anaesthetists should be aware of legislation and good practice guidance relevant to children and according to the location in the UK.^{106,107,108,109,110,111,112} These documents refer to the rights of the child, child protection processes and consent.