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Anaesthetists should be trained in the use of, and be familiar with, all equipment that they use regularly. The anaesthetist has a primary responsibility to check such equipment before use.¹⁷

Whether in a dedicated paediatric neurosurgical unit or not, every child requiring elective neurosurgery should have care delivered by an anaesthetist or anaesthetists who possess the relevant competencies as demanded by the patient’s age, disease and comorbidities.

Busier units (see Glossary) should consider having two duty anaesthetists available 24/7, in addition to the supervising autonomously practising anaesthetist.²³

Every anaesthesia department should have sufficient anaesthetists with expertise in regional anaesthesia to provide a timely regional anaesthesia service. When this is not possible, a consultant anaesthetist with expertise in regional anaesthesia should be identified daily to support other anaesthetists with regional anaesthesia procedures

An appropriately trained and experienced anaesthetist should be present for all neurosurgical operating lists and interventional neuroradiology sessions, with sufficient consultant-programmed activities to provide adequate supervision and support to trainee anaesthetists and SAS anaesthetists.^5,7